CHIEF  EVILS 
THE  TIMES 


A LENTEN  COURSE  OF  SEVEN 
SERMONS 


BY 

Rev.  H.  NAGELSCHMITT 


New  York 

JOSEPH  F.  WAGNER  (Inc.) 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS 
OF  THE  TIMES 


LENTEN  COURSE  OF  SEVEN 
SERMONS 


Rev.  H.  NAGELSCHMITT 


New  York 

JOSEPH  F.  WAGNER  (Inc.) 


IQtMI  ©bfitat 


Jmprimatttr 


New  York, 


RBMIGIUS  LAFORT,  S.T.D. 

Cens0r 


4- JOHN  CARDINAL  FARLEY 

Archbishop  of  New  York 


September  18,  1916 


Copyright,  1917,  by  Joseph  F.  Wagner  (Inc.)>  New  York 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 


I.  Recklessness  and  Frivolity 1 

II.  Unbelief 10 

III.  Disobedience 21 

IV.  Selfishness  and  the  Love  of  Money 30 

V.  Ambition 40 

VI.  The  Love  of  Pleasure  and  Luxury 50 

VII.  Human  Respect 60 


i 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 

I.  Recklessness  and  Frivolity 

“This  then  I say  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  henceforward 
you  walk  not  as  also  the  gentiles  walk  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind, 
having  their  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated  from  the 
life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of 
the  blindness  of  their  hearts.” — Ephes.  iv,  17,  18. 

The  holy  season  of  Lent  reminds  us  that  it  is  our  duty  to  examine 
ourselves,  to  think  over  our  sins  and  shortcomings,  and  by  means 
of  penance  and  amendment  of  life  to  turn  again  to  God,  whom  we 
have  forsaken.  The  Church  calls  to  us  at  this  season:  “Behold, 
now  is  the  acceptable  time;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation” 
(2  Cor.  vi,  2).  “Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  He  may  be  found;  call 
upon  Him  while  He  is  near.  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unjust  man  his  thoughts;  and  let  him  return  to  the  Lord,  and 
He  will  have  mercy  on  him ; and  to  our  God,  for  He  is  bountiful  to 
forgive”  (Is.  Iv,  6,  7). 

Lent  is  a time  for  penance  and  conversion ; but  we  ought  to  know 
for  what  it  behooves  us  to  do  penance,  and  in  what  respects  we 
require  to  be  converted.  We  ought  of  course  to  do  penance  for  our 
sins,  abandon  the  path  of  wickedness,  and  return  to  the  way  of 
righteousness  and  justice.  Every  man's  own  conscience  will  tell 
him  how  to  act,  if  only  he  examines  himself  honestly  in  the  presence 
of  God,  who  sees  and  knows  all  things.  But,  just  as  each  individual 
has  his  besetting  sins,  so  has  every  age  its  peculiar  vices,  which  give 
rise  to  all  our  prevalent  misery  and  suffering,  and  are  difficult  to 
detect  because  we  are  so  entangled  in  them.  Every  one  can  dis- 
cover and  amend  his  own  personal  defects,  if  only  he  earnestly 
endeavors  to  do  so;  but  it  is  less  easy  to  perceive  the  vices  of  the 
age,  for  we  are  all  more  or  less  infected  with  them,  and  consequently 
are  blind  to  their  results;  moreover  each  person  has  his  own 
opinion  regarding  them,  and  many  fail  to  grasp  the  prevalence  of 
the  evil. 

I purpose  to  address  you  during  Lent  on  the  subject  of  the  vices 
of  the  age  and  the  disasters  to  which  they  lead,  suggesting,  as  far 
as  I can,  remedies  for  them.  The  chief  failings  of  the  age  in  which 


I 


3 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


we  live  appear  to  be:  recklessness,  unbelief,  disobedience,  selfish- 
ness, ambition,  love  of  pleasure,  and,  human  respect. 

In  the  course  of  my  sermons  I may  perhaps  allude  to  sins  and 
defects  from  which  you  are  free;  and  you  may  therefore  feel 
inclined  to  say  that  my  words  are  not  applicable  to  you,  for  those 
that  are  whole  need  not  a physician,  but  rather  those  that  are  sick. 
I should  have  good  reason  to  rejoice  and  to  thank  God  if  my  whole 
congregation  could  speak  thus.  We  are,  however,  all  more  or  less 
infected  with  the  follies  of  the  age,  and  we  should  only  aggravate 
the  evil  if  we  deceived  ourselves  and  protested  that  we  were  free 
from  it.  It  is  well  for  us  to  know  and  recognize  the  enemy  who  is 
incessantly  trying  to  undermine  our  peace  and  welfare,  for  other- 
wise we  shall  not  be  on  our  guard  against  him.  Whenever  an  epi- 
demic breaks  out  in  a town  or  village,  the  inhabitants  take  care  to 
ascertain  its  symptoms  and  to  learn  the  best  manner  of  protecting 
themselves  against  it.  Let  us  show  equal  care  and  conscientious- 
ness in  examining  tlie  causes  underlying  the  spiritual  evils  of  the 
time,  evils  that  become  more  deadly  day  by  day,  and  threaten  to 
destroy  the  whole  moral  and  social  order.  I will  take  as  to-day’s 
subject  recklessness,  and  discuss  (i)  its  nature  and  (2)  its  con- 
sequences. 

I.  It  is  impossible  to  read  a newspaper  or  to  associate  with 
people  without  becoming  aware  of  the  fact  that  all  classes  are 
oppressed  by  a sense  of  discomfort,  discouragement  and  uncertainty. 
No  one  is  contented  with  the  present  state  of  affairs,  and  all  dread 
the  future,  unless  some  efficacious  form  of  help  is  forthcoming. 
Almost  everyone,  whether  he  be  learned  or  unlearned,  politician  or 
businessman,  is  engaged  in  devising  some  remedy  for  the  general 
distress.  All  agree  in  thinking  some  change  to  be  absolutely 
necessary,  but  there  are  innumerable  opinions  regarding  the  manner 
in  which  this  change  can  be  effected,  and  the  form  that  it  should 
take.  I have  no  intention  of  discussing  the  various  proposals  made 
in  newspapers  and  magazines,  or  at  public  meetings ; I wish  merely 
to  point  out  that  most  people  look  for  amendment  from  without, 
not  from  within.  This  is  the  feature  that  presents  itself  whenever 
there  is  a general  conviction  that  some  change  in  condition  and 
in  the  social  life  is  absolutely  necessary.  Men  seek  the  cause  of 


RECKLESSNESS  AND  FRIVOLITY 


3 


all  the  evils  from  which  they  suffer  in  external  circumstances,  not 
in  themselves.  They  hope  to  find  a remedy  in  something  outward, 
and  have  no  idea  that  they  must  begin  by  reforming  their  own  dis- 
orderly  and  sinful  way  of  life,  if  a general  improvement  is  to  be 
effected.  At  the  present  time  there  is  only  too  much  reason  for 
complaints,  and  for  fears  of  what  may  yet  be  in  store;  mankind  is 
in  urgent  need  of  help,  but,  before  it  is  capable  of  receiving  assist- 
ance, each  individual  ought  to  begin  by  God's  grace  to  amend  and 
cure  himself. 

Yes,  we  may  well  turn  upon  those  who  clamor  for  reform,  and 
say  to  them:  “Physician,  cure  thyself;  cast  out  the  beam  from  thine 
own  eye,  before  thou  attemptest  to  remove  the  mote  from  thy 
brother's  eye."  This  one  consideration  is  enough  to  show  how 
rightly  recklessness  may  be  described  as  one  of  the  chief  faults  of 
our  age.  Every  one  is  anxious  to  improve  the  world,  and  sets  to 
work  knowing  very  little  about  the  sins  and  passions  prevalent 
among  mankind,  and  incapable  of  correctly  ascertaining  the  source 
and  extent  of  the  evils  of  the  age.  Hence  he  talks  at  random,  and 
all  his  proposals  for  reform  fall  wide  of  the  mark,  or  actually  aggra- 
vate the  malady  that  they  are  intended  to  cure.  A man  may  rightly 
be  described  as  reckless  who  judges  of  important  matters  without 
adequate  knowledge,  without  serious  reflection,  without  due  con- 
sideration of  the  arguments  for  and  against.  A reckless  person 
gives  advice  offhand;  he  speaks  and  acts  without  thinking  of  the 
consequences  of  his  words  and  deeds,  whereas  he  has  no  business 
at  all  to  express  an  opinion,  and  is  incapable  of  making  any  useful 
suggestion. 

This  kind  of  recklessness  in  judgment,  speech  and  action  is  ex- 
tremely common  at  the  present  day,  and  is  especially  characteristic 
of  popular  agitators  and  socialistic  leaders.  We  may  perhaps  say 
that  it  is  the  chief  source  of  the  evils  from  which  we  suffer,  for 
there  are  few  among  these  men  whose  thoughts  and  desires,  whose 
words  and  works  are  controlled  by  the  dictates  of  Christianity  and 
of  reason.  There  are  few  who  consider  the  results  that  may  follow 
sooner  or  later  from  what  they  proclaim  and  do;  they  are  deaf  to 
the  voice  of  reason,  that  priceless  gift  which  distinguishes  man  from 
all  other  creatures,  and  enables  him  to  know  God;  they  refuse  to 
obey  the  Divine  law,  that  enlightens  our  understanding  and  guides 
us  through  the  maze  of  this  life,  and  they  listen  only  to  the  prompt- 
ing of  their  own  unruly  passions  and  desires.  Instead  of  refrain- 


4 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


ing  from  action  until  circumstances  and  probable  results  have  been 
properly  'weighed,  men  allow  themselves  to  be  influenced  by  mo- 
mentary impressions  and  by  the  impulses  of  their  senses.  This 
is  what  I mean  by  recklessness,  and  you  will  be  convinced  that  it  is 
a very  prevalent  fault,  if  you  take  the  trouble  to  observe  the  actions 
of  those  about  you. 

Recklessness  is  generally  assumed  to  be  a fault  peculiar  to  the 
young,  and  it  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  the  young  people  at  the 
present  day  are  reckless.  Many  throw  away  their  opportunities  of 
acquiring  education,  and  of  developing  their  faculties  of  heart  and 
mind,  because  they  will  not  study  with  perseverance.  Many  plunge 
into  vice  and  folly,  and  associate  with  bad  companions,  because  they 
are  carried  away  by  sensual  pleasures,  and  are  not  guided  by  con- 
science and  God's  precepts.  Many  a young  girl  gives  herself  up 
to  vanity  and  frivolity,  and  runs  after  silly  amusements,  simply  for 
want  of  thought,  yielding  to  whims  and  fancies  instead  of  acting 
on  sound  principle. 

But  though  the  young  are  undoubtedly  thoughtless,  those  of 
maturer  years  are  perhaps  equally  guilty.  Many  a man  forgets 
duty  and  family,  when  he  is  with  companions  who  encourage  him 
to  drink  and  gamble.  Many  throng  to  hear  an  agitator  preaching 
atheism  and  emancipation  from  lawful  restraint,  and  utter  no  word 
of  protest  when  he  ridicules  all  that  is  most  sacred.  They  are  reck- 
less, caring  only  for  what  amuses  them  at  the  moment,  and  never 
giving  a thought  to  the  future.  Others  undertake  to  discuss  matters 
of  great  importance,  and  talk  pompously,  without  having  taken  the 
trouble  to  gain  any  real  knowledge  of  the  subject  on  which  they  are 
so  ready  to  lay  down  the  law.  In  their  thoughtless  vanity  and  the 
desire  to  be  like  other  people,  many  join  associations  in  which 
Christianity  and  the  Church  are  held  up  to  ridicule,  and  so  they 
gradually  lose  their  faith,  and  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the  pernicious 
doctrines  of  Socialism,  abandoning  altogether  the  practice  of  re- 
ligion. 

Need  I allude  to  the  overhasty  judgments  pronounced  so  fre- 
quently upon  the  actions  and  lives  of  neighbors?  It  is  a matter  of 
everyday  occurrence  to  hear  all  sorts  of  suspicions  and  slanders 
uttered  without  a moment's  reflection.  Some  who  could  not  answer 
a single  question  in  the  catechism,  do  not  hesitate  to  criticize  and 
discuss  religious  topics,  although  they  are  quite  indifferent  to  religion 
and  everything  connected  with  it, — is  not  this  recklessness?  And  is 


RECKLESSNESS  AND  FRIVOLITY 


5 


it  not  the  very  height  of  recklessness  for  a man  to  go  on  heaping 
sin  upon  sin,  without  ever  giving  a thought  to  penance  and  amend- 
ment of  life? 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  you  that  recklessness,  or  want  of 
thought,  is  really  a malady,  or  rather  a sin,  very  prevalent  at  the 
present  day.  People  are  superficial  in  their  judgments,  and  in- 
capable of  devoting  their  attention  seriously  even  to  important  mat- 
ters and  of  exerting  themselves  to  accomplish  anything.  They 
take  everything  lightly,  and  fail  to  appreciate  both  the  evil  of  sin 
and  the  excellence  of  virtue,  and  consequently  they  care  very  little 
about  either.  It  is  to  them  a matter  of  complete  indifference 
whether  their  words  and  actions  accord  with  the  duties  of  their 
station,  and  their  position,  as  men  and  Christians,  as  fathers,  citi- 
zens and  subjects,  nor  do  they  trouble  about  the  results  of  what 
they  say  and  do.  They  are  quite  ready  to  play  the  part  of  saints 
or  sinners,  as  best  suits  their  convenience  and  advantage;  they  at- 
tend to  the  present  and  disregard  the  future. 

Such  are  the  characteristics  and  outward  manifestations  of  reck- 
lessness; we  shall  have  no  difficulty  in  tracing  its  disastrous  and 
injurious  results. 

II.  A reckless  man  shrinks  from  all  earnest  thought  and  exertion 
of  good  judgment,  and  therefore  he  never  acquires  a thorough 
knowledge  of  anything,  for  knowledge  and  efficiency  are  not  gained 
without  industry,  thought  and  practice.  How  can  a persop.  even 
learn  a trade  or  business  thoroughly,  unless  he  is  industrious  and 
persevering?  Perhaps  he  attains  to  a superficial  general  knowl- 
edge of  things,  in  order  to  better  enjoy  life,  but  he  is  anxious  for 
enjoyment,  not  for  the  solid  instruction;  he  is  incapable  of  appre- 
ciating true,  permanent  happiness,  and  does  nothing  likely  to  pro- 
mote it,  but  everything  calculated  to  destroy  it.  In  the  homes  of 
reckless  men,  such  as  I have  been  describing,  disorder,  discontent, 
poverty  and  want  often  prevail.  Many  a man  makes  speeches  about 
reforms  in  the  government  and  the  condition  of  the  working  classes, 
but  he  does  nothing  at  all  towards  reforming  his  own  household, 
or  adding  to  the  family  income  by  displaying  more  industry  and 
self-denial.  Many  a youth  is  persuaded  to  join  the  ranks  of  the 
socialists,  and  contributes  liberally  out  of  his  wages  to  their  funds, 
whilst  his  parents  are  actually  in  want.  Some  live  on  from  day 
to  day,  either  doing  no  work  at  all,  or  spending  their  earnings  on 
drink;  they  let  the  future  take  care  of  itself.  Thoughtlessness  has 


6 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


brought  thousands  of  young  men  to  ruin,  so  that  they  have  become 
a burden  on  society.  Perhaps,  when  it  is  too  late,  they  see  that 
youth  ought  to  be,  not  a time  for  sowing  wild  oats,  but  a time  of 
preparation  for  the  serious  business  of  life.  Young  men,  who 
can  barely  support  themselves,  often  rush  into  matrimony,  and,  as 
soon  as  the  first  child  is  born  they  are  reduced  to  beggary.  We 
see  persons,  devoid  of  all  necessary  training  and  experience,  trying 
to  set  up  a business,  and  plunging  themselves  and  their  families  into 
debt  and  misery.  It  is  impossible  to  give  an  adequate  description 
of  the  wretchedness  that  a reckless  individual  brings  upon  himself 
and  others.  He  loses  the  esteem  of  all  about  him,  and  meets  with 
nothing  but  trouble.  Worse  still  is  the  plight  of  one  who,  by  his 
reckless  words,  has  induced  even  others  to  do  wrong,  and  has 
robbed  them  of  honor  and  reputation.  A reckless  mode  of  life  often 
leads  to  the  loss  of  a man’s  good  name,  health  and  happiness,  and 
his  misery  involves  that  of  his  wife  and  children.  Those  who 
habitually  live  a reckless  life  become  a plague  to  the  whole  com- 
munity. 

What  prospect  of*future  happiness  do  such  people  possess?  Since 
they  are  deficient  in  serious  industry  and  common  sense  they  know 
practically  nothing  about  the  way  of  salvation  and  the  doctrines  of 
faith.  They  are  too  careless,  and  too  idle,  to  care  for  their  temporal 
interests,  on  which  their  earthly  prosperity  depends,  but  still  less 
do  they  trouble  about  their  immortal  souls  and  their  ultimate  sal- 
vation. Their  hold  upon  the  truths  of  religion  is  inevitably  weak*, 
and  consequently  they  have  no  firm  convictions.  Their  disinclina- 
tion to  think  things  out  thoroughly  makes  them  sway  to  and  fro, 
ready  to  be  misled  by  every  false  teacher  who  comes  their  way. 
They  are  apt  to  be  influenced  by  illogical  arguments,  and,  as  St. 
Paul  says,  to  be  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine.  An 
unbeliever  has  no  difficulty  in  persuading  such  people  that  the 
truths  of  religion  are  merely  human  inventions,  which  an  enlight- 
ened person  is  bound  to  set  aside;  and,  as  they  have  no  real  con- 
victions, they  are  easily  induced  to  believe  that  virtue  and  the  fear 
of  God  are  things  that  should  be  dispensed  with.  They  accept 
every  infidel  suggestion  indiscriminately,  and  end  by  thinking  it  a 
mark  of  mental  weakness  to  feel  reverence  and  trust  in  God,  to 
love  parents  and  children.  Nothing  is  easier  than  to  lead  a friv- 
olous, reckless  man  into  every  kind  of  folly,  sin  and  crime.  His 
ideas  of  right  and  wrong,  of  good  and  evil,  are  so  confused  that 


RECKLESSNESS  AND  FRIVOLITY 


7 


his  balance  is  quickly  overthrown,  and  from  evil  thoughts  he 
easily  proceeds  to  evil  deeds.  It  is  only  necessary  to  represent  vice 
as  something  pleasant  and  attractive,  to  declare  all  that  good  people 
say  against  it  to  be  absurd  nonsense,  and  forthwith  he  will  aban- 
don himself  to  it,  until  finally  there  is  no  folly,  no  sin,  of  which  he 
is  not  capable.  All  efforts  to  make  him  realize  his  errors  and  to 
recall  him  to  the  way  of  justice  and  virtue  will  usually  fail. 

It  is  useless  to  speak  to  a frivolous  and  thoughtless  person 
of  God’s  omnipotence,  mercy  and  justice,  or  of  the  atonement 
effected  by  Christ;  it  is  a waste  of  time  to  reproach  him  with  his 
ingratitude  to  God  for  the  countless  benefits  received  at  His  hands, 
or  to  remind  him  that  he  will  have  to  give  an  account,  at  an  hour 
when  he  least  expects  it,  of  all  his  actions ; it  is  vain  to  implore  him 
to  amend  his  way  of  life  and  to  seek  after  those  things  that  tend 
to  peace.  As  St.  Paul  says,  '‘the  sensual  man  perceiveth  not  the 
things  that  are  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  for  it  is  foolishness  to  him, 
and  he  cannot  understand”  (i  Cor.  ii,  14).  He  behaves  like  Felix, 
the  governor,  who,  when  St.  Paul  spoke  of  justice,  chastity  and 
the  judgment  to  come,  said:  "For  this  time  go  thy  way;  but  when 
I have  a convenient  time  I will  send  for  thee”  (Acts  xxiv,  25). 
Such  truths  make  no  impression  upon  the  frivolous,  and  even  if 
they  did,  it  would  soon  be  obliterated  by  worldly  amusements. 

At  times,  however,  even  the  most  frivolous  people  are  depressed, 
for  misfortunes  compel  them  to  reflect,  and  the  consequences  of  sin 
draw  their  attention  to  the  sin  itself.  At  these  moments  they  feel 
a desire  to  be  good  and  to  pray,  but  they  cannot;  they  long  for 
release  from  their  misery,  but  they  are  in  bondage  to  sin,  and  with 
sorrow  they  realize  that  they  are  no  longer  free.  Yet  their  sor- 
row does  not  last,  and  leads  to  nothing,  for  it  is  soon  stifled  by 
worldly  amusements.  To  such  people  we  may  apply  the  words  of 
St.  James:  "If  a man  be  a hearer  of  the  word  and  not  a doer,  he 
shall  be  compared  to  a man  beholding  his  own  countenance  in  a 
glass.  For  he  beheld  himself,  and  went  his  way,  and  presently 
forgot  what  manner  of  man  he  was”  (James  i,  23,  24). 

A reckless  and  frivolous  man  not  only  pays  no  attention  to  God 
and  His  Commandments,  he  does  not  merely  neglect  his  own  soul, 
but  he  mocks  at  those  who  value  their  faith  and  try  to  lead  a good 
life.  By  his  frivolous  words  he  often  undermines  the  religious 
convictions  and  dispositions  of  others,  and  his  bad  example  pro- 
motes the  evil  induced  by  his  suggestive  remarks.  The  young,  who 


8 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


have  no  experience,  and  the  old,  who  already  have  one  foot  in  the 
grave,  are  often  equally  indifferent  to  the  things  that  are  of  real 
importance  in  life;  they  never  give  a thought  to  the  salvation  of 
their  immortal  souls;  they  even  drag  others  with  them  to  destruc- 
tion. 

I have  shown  you  the  dangerous  and  deadly  results  of  reckless- 
ness, and  have  pointed  out  how  they  affect  our  bodies  and  souls, 
our  families  and  our  country,  our  present  and  future  life.  How 
can  the  conditions  of  life  be  improved,  unless  we  improve  our- 
selves and  put  aside  our  frivolity,  recklessness  and  want  of 
thought,  striving  rather  to  bring  order  into  our  lives,  according  to 
the  laws  of  reason  and  of  Divine  revelation,  which  is  able  to  make 
those  happy  who  believe  in  it? 

It  behooves  us  to  be  in  earnest  and  to  make  a wise  use  of  our 
time.  This  life  is  a preparation  for  eternity,  and  what  we  sow  here 
we  shall  reap  hereafter;  our  wages  will  be  precisely  what  we  have 
earned.  Pay  attention  therefore  to  St.  Paul’s  admonition:  ^‘This 
then  I say  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  henceforward  you  walk,  not 
as  also  the  gentiles  walk  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  having  their 
understanding  darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God 
through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of 
their  hearts  (Ephes.  iv,  17,18).  Follow  the  advice  of  the  same 
Apostle,  when  he  says:  “See,  therefore,  brethren,  now  you  walk 
circumspectly;  not  as  unwise,  but  as  wise;  redeeming  the  time, 
because  the  days  are  evil.  Wherefore  become  not  unwise,  but 
understanding  what  is  the  will  of  God”  (Ephes.  v,  15-17). 

Yes,  my  brethren,  let  us  no  longer  walk  as  unwise, — as  foolish 
children  snatching  at  everything  that  can  afford  them  enjoyment, 
but  let  us  walk  as  wise  and  reasonable  people  who  consider  before- 
hand what  they  ought  to  desire,  to  say,  or  to  do.  When  the  ad- 
vocates of  this  or  that  way  of  thinking  try  to  win  you  over  to  their 
views,  test  their  doctrines  and  principles,  compare  them  with  those 
of  Christianity,  and  I have  no  fear  of  your  being  led  astray.  Do 
not  be  influenced  too  much  by  outward  appearances,  nor  by  the 
allurements  of  the  world,  nor  by  the  feelings  of  your  own  weak 
and  foolish  hearts,  nor  by  the  suggestions  of  others;  but  take  as 
your  guide  the  law  of  God  and  the  voice  of  conscience,  and  you 
will  not  be  at  a loss  how  to  act.  All  who  have  ever  won  the  re- 
spect of  their  fellow-creatures  by  their  learning,  skill,  generosity, 
courage  or  active  charity,  have  done  so  because  they  were  in  earnest, 


RECKLFSSNESS  AND  FRIVOLITY 


9 


and  worked  with  industry,  discretion  and  perseverance.  No  one 
secures  a comfortable  income  by  frivolity,  fickleness,  indolence  or 
love  of  pleasure,  but  by  industry  and  prudence.  The  saints  did 
not  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord  for  the  reason  that  they  were 
frivolous,  deaf  to  the  voice  of  conscience  and  the  precepts  of  the 
Gospel,  and  eager  to  indulge  in  every  amusement  that  came  in  their 
way ; — no,  they  took  pains  to  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and 
His  holy  law ; they  crucified  the  flesh  with  its  desires  and  lusts,  they 
despised  the  world  and  its  pleasures,  in  order  to  win  Christ.  They 
were  not  guided  by  the  false  principles  and  bad  example  of  the 
children  of  this  world,  but  followed  Him,  who  is  the  way,  the  truth 
and  the  life.  Let  us  act  as  they  did,  not  yielding  to  every  whim  and 
fancy,  but  clinging  firmly  to  the  principles  laid  down  by  our  Divine 
Lord.  Without  good  principles  no  one  can  persevere  in  well-doing 
and  resist  evil,  and  a man  who  drifts  along  thoughtlessly,  without 
any  order  and  method  of  life,  is  carried  away  by  every  impulse  of 
passion,  and  yields  to  every  temptation.  But  one  who  directs  all 
his  thoughts  and  actions  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God,  will 
never  go  astray;  he  will  stand  firm,  where  others  stumble;  and  he 
will  enjoy  the  peace  and  happiness  that  others  seek  in  vain.  He 
will  contribute  to  the  welfare  of  society  and  will  finally  obtain  the 
reward  promised  to  those  who  have  fought  the  good  fight  and  kept 
the  faith.  Let  me  conclude  with  St.  Paul’s  words:  “My  beloved 
brethren,  be  ye  steadfast  and  unmoveable ; always  abounding  in  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  knowing  that  your  labor  is  not  vain  in  the  Lord” 
(i  Cor.  XV,  58).  Amen. 


20 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


II.  Unbelief 

“Now  the  Spirit  manifestly  saith  that  in  the  last  times  some 
shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  spirits  of  error,  and 
doctrines  of  devils,  speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy  and  having  their 
conscience  seared.” — i Tim.  iv,  i,  2. 

We  saw  in  our  last  discourse  that  the  chief  source  of  most  of 
the  evils  prevalent  in  our  midst  is  a spirit  of  recklessness  or  friv- 
olity, which  prevents  men  from  listening  to  the  voice  of  God  and 
conscience,  so  that  they  fail  to  regulate  their  thoughts  and  actions 
according  to  God’s  will.  Most  of  the  aberrations  and  excesses  of 
the  age  are  due  to  this  cause.  If  we  are  alienated  from  the  life 
of  God”  (Ephes.  iv,  18)  ; if  we  avoid  God  and  fix  our  thoughts  on 
the  vain  things  of  earth;  if  we  cling  to  creatures  and  forget  the 
Creator ; if,  instead  of  busying  ourselves  with  the  truths  and  means 
of  salvation,  we  turn  our  attention  to  profane  and  dangerous  sub- 
jects ; if  we  think  only  of  present  enjoyment  and  care  nothing  for 
our  immortal  souls, — then  the  consciousness  of  being  destined  by 
God  for  a higher  and  everlasting  life  will  gradually  fade  away. 
We  shall  forget  our  relation  to  Almighty  God,  and  regard  ourselves 
as  citizens  of  this  world  only.  We  shall  no  longer  think  of  our 
life  here  as  a pilgrimage  through  a land  of  exile ; heaven  will  cease 
to  be,  in  our  eyes,  our  true  home,  which  we  must  enter  through 
the  portal  of  death.  We  shall  speak  of  this  world  in  language  re- 
sembling that  of  St.  Peter  in  to-day’s  Gospel,  who  exclaimed  on 
seeing  our  Saviour  transfigured  in  glory : “Master,  it  is  good  to  be 
here.  Let  us  make  tabernacles  in  this  place”  (Luke  ix,  33). 

If  once  we  lose  sight  of  our  real  condition,  our  hopes  and  aspi- 
rations will  become  confused,  our  faith  will  perish,  and  all  our 
thoughts  and  desires  will  be  fixed  upon  what  is  visible  and  tem- 
poral. Then,  having  fallen  away  from  God,  and  having  shut  our 
eyes  to  our  eternal  destiny,  we  shall  imagine  ourselves  to  be  lords 
of  creation,  owing  obedience  to  none,  and  we  shall  aim  only  at 
earthly  possessions,  and  seek  honor  in  the  esteem  of  men,  and 
happiness  in  the  gratification  of  our  passions. 

These  are  the  evil  results  of  frivolity,  which  is  like  a poisonous 
well,  contaminating  all  that  it  touches.  The  first  and  most  fatal 
result  is  unbelief,  which  is  the  subject  that  I have  selected  for 
to-day’s  sermon. 

I.  In  the  New  Testament  a time  is  foretold  when  the  Kingdom 


UNBELIEF 


II 


of  God  is  to  be  threatened  with  inward  and  outward  perils,  and 
with  oppression  and  conflicts  of  every  kind.  It  is  to  suflfer  griev- 
ously, and  the  temptation  will  be  so  great  that,  if  it  were  possible, 
even  the  elect  would  be  deceived  (Matth.  xxiv,  24).  Iniquity  will 
abound  and  the  charity  of  many  shall  grow  cold  (ibid,  v,  12).  At 
that  time,  as  St.  Peter  tells  us,  ‘'there  shall  come  deceitful  scoffers, 
walking  after  their  own  lusts”  (2  Peter  hi,  3),  and,  as  St.  Paul 
says,  men  “will  not  endure  sound  doctrine;  but  according  to  their 
own  desires  they  will  heap  to  themselves  teachers,  having  itching 
ears,  and  will  indeed  turn  away  their  hearing  from  the  truth  and 
will  be  turned  to  fables”  (2  Tim.  iv,  3,  4). 

If  we  consider  our  own  age,  and  the  mode  of  life  common  at  the 
present  day,  we  shall  be  inclined  to  think  that  these  prophecies  are 
now  being  fulfilled.  Socialism  is  rapidly  gaining  ground,  and  it 
aims  at  uprooting  all  faith  in  God,  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul 
and  in  a future  life;  in  fact  it  seeks  to  destroy  Christianity  and 
everything  connected  with  it,  and  to  substitute  for  the  ten  Com- 
mandments given  us  by  God  the  one  principle:  “Enjoy  whatever 
you  can  enjoy,  for  everything  ends  at  death.”  No  one  who  seri- 
ously considers  age  in  which  we  live,  and  its  characteristics,  can 
deny  that  there  are  in  our  midst  many  deceitful  scoffers,  who  de- 
spise the  truth,  and  also  many  who  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine, 
and  listen  to  teachers  inspired  by  the  devil. 

Everywhere,  in  every  class  of  society,  we  meet  people  who  be- 
lieve nothing  themselves,  and  are  doing  their  utmost  to  destroy  the 
faith  in  others.  The  number  of  those  engaged  in  spreading  infidel- 
ity is  so  great  that  we  may  fearlessly  assert  that  Christianity  never 
employed  so  many  agents  to  build  up  the  city  of  God  as  are  now 
busied  about  its  overthrow.  Centuries  ago  crusades  were  under- 
taken for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  from  the  infidels  the  Holy  Land, 
where  our  Redeemer  has  gone  up  and  down  teaching,  and  where 
by  His  passion  and  death  He  made  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the 
world.  But  now  a campaign  is  being  carried  on  against  the  Cross, 
against  the  faith  in  a crucified  Redeemer,  and  efforts  of  every  con- 
ceivable kind  are  made  to  inspire  believers  with  the  spirit  of  in- 
fidelity. Sometimes  the  very  existence  of  God  is  denied ; some- 
times the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  rejected,  and  He  is 
placed  on  a level  with  merely  human  teachers;  sometimes  His 
miracles  are  called  in  question;  sometimes  the  Church  is  described 
as  an  obsolete  institution,  designed  to  promote  ignorance  and  super- 


12 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


stition,  and  to  torture  the  conscience  of  men ; sometimes  the  most 
solemn  and  profound  mysteries  of  religion  are  ridiculed, ' because 
they  are  incomprehensible  and  beyond  human  understanding ; 
sometimes  the  ceremonies  of  the  Church  and  the  practices  of  re- 
ligion are  condemned  as  being  nothing  but  meaningless  formali- 
ties; sometimes  the  immortality  of  the  soul  is  denied,  and  we  are 
told  that  death  is  the  end  of  all  things,  and  that  therefore  we  ought 
to  get  as  much  pleasure  as  possible  out  of  this  life;  sometimes  we 
hear  that  all  belief  in  revelation  is  wrong,  fit  only  for  ignorant 
people,  and  that  the  cultured  and  educated  classes  can  well  dis- 
pense with  all  revealed  truths  and  with  the  laws  of  Christianity, 
because  they  are  guided  by  the  light  of  reason, — ^because  they  be- 
lieve and  do  only  what  pleases  them,  what  does  not  interfere  with 
their  disorderly  passions  and  desires. 

Infidelity  is  inculcated  in  private  conversations  and  at  public  as- 
semblies, by  books,  newspapers  and  periodicals,  so  that  every  class 
of  society  may  be  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  unbelief.  Moreover, 
the  propagators  of  these  views  hold  out  all  manner  of  specious  in- 
ducements, appealing  to  the  passions  of  the  age.  For  instance,  at 
the  present  time  they  talk  much  of  liberty  of  conscience,  meaning 
thereby  license  to  sin;  they  extol  equality  of  rights  and  of  property, 
freedom  from  restraint,  etc. — things  likely  to  dazzle  and  mislead 
superficial  minds.  This  is  the  line  of  action  pursued  by  “spirits  of 
error,’'  who  teach  the  “doctrines  of  devils,  speaking  lies  in  hypoc- 
risy, and  having  their  conscience  seared.”  To  our  sorrow  we  must 
confess  that  they  do  not  labor  in  vain. 

Alas,  too  many  allow  themselves  to  be  led  astray  by  these  de- 
ceitful spirits,  and  refuse  to  accept  the  truth,  so  that  in  time  their 
faith  dies  out  and  their  charity  grows  cold.  There  have  been  un- 
believers in  every  age,  but  formerly  unbelief  existed  chiefly  among 
the  rich  and  mighty,  whilst  other  classes  were  unaffected  by  it, 
and  preserved  their  faith  and  fervor.  But  now  the  darkness  of 
infidelity  has  spread  in  every  rank  of  society,  and  consequently 
there  is  an  alarming  increase  in  the  adherents  of  socialism.  It  has 
penetrated  from  the  mansions  of  the  wealthy  to  the  middle  classes, 
to  the  factories  and  cottages  of  the  laborers.  There  are,  thank 
God,  many  places  where  faith  still  exists  and  flourishes,  where  it 
is  still  regarded  as  the  greatest  treasure  in  life ; but  there  are,  alas, 
many  places  where  unbelief  abounds,  revealing  its  presence  not 
only  in  the  language,  but  also  in  the  debased  morality  of  the  people. 


UNBELIEF 


13 


Divine  charity,  which  is  the  outcome  of  faith,  has  there  grown  cold, 
if  it  has  not  actually  been  replaced  by  hatred  of  Christ  and  His 
Church.  Is  this  accusation  against  our  age  not  fully  justified? 
Do  you  not  know  by  experience  that  there  are  many  who  care 
nothing  for  the  truths  of  faith  and  the  practice  of  religion,  who 
maintain  that  each  man^s  religion  is  his  own  private  aflfair,  not  to 
be  displayed  publicly?  Do  you  not  know  that  many  have  ceased 
to  regard  religion  as  of  supreme  importance,  and  subordinate  it 
to  temporal  advantage  ? Is  not  piety  growing  rare,  and  do  not  men 
transgress  God’s  Commandments  with  ever-increasing  recklessness? 
Are  not  Sundays  and  holidays  desecrated  by  work  and  by  sinful 
excesses?  Where  shall  we  find  the  steadfast  faith,  manifesting 
itself  in  active  charity,  such  as  our  forefathers  possessed?  Is  their 
faith  still  our  guide  through  life,  our  support,  and  our  consolation 
in  sorrow?  Are  there  not  thousands  in  whose  hearts  it  no  longer 
exists?  Are  there  still  amongst  us  men  like  the  heroic  confessors 
of  old,  who  endured  insult,  mockery  and  persecution,  rather  than 
abandon  their  faith?  Where  is  faith  to  be  found?  Not  in  society, 
for  it  is  no  longer  the  fashion  to  profess  one’s  Christian; 

the  name  of  God  is  hardly  ever  mentione^^^e%CW,y^«i^iculed 
and  has  ceased  to  exert  any  influence  ovei^^j^^^iaifnrjnif^/^  Tf^rfaith 
to  be  found  in  the  hearts  of  the  young  ? ^^feVfor  they  are'.i^j  many 
cases  defiled  by  the  seductive  argument^kcSi  bad  ekampfle  ,of  their 
elders ; the  children  grow  up  without  e^e^  beifig  taught  /to.  pray. 
Even  in  our  churches  faith  seems  absent*in  some  people/if  >Ye  are 
to  judge  by  their  behavior,  and  there  are  feWxvvhd,' likp  the  pubH 
in  the  parable,  strike  their  breast  and  say : “G6d  be^meroiful  to  me, 
a sinner”  (Luke  xviii,  13).  Rare  indeed  is  it  to  find  faith  in  all  its 
beauty,  vigor  and  efficacy ; it  is  more  frequently  trodden  in  the  dust, 
hated,  slandered  and  persecuted  even  by  its  own  children.  Relig- 
ion is  no  longer  regarded  as  indispensable,  and  we  are  told  that 
it  does  not  matter  what  a man  believes,  if  only  he  is  upright  in  his 
dealings.  Those  who  openly  profess  themselves  unbelievers  are 
looked  upon  as  broad-minded.  Among  non-Catholics,  crowds 
throng  to  hear  preachers  who  deny  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible, 
and  speak  of  it  as  a collection  of  writings  of  merely  human  author- 
ship, having  no  higher  value  than  any  other  ancient  compilation. 
Such  preachers  inculcate  what  they  call  a rational  form  of  Chris- 
tianity, which  has  nothing  in  common  with  real  Christianity,  and 
consists  of  doctrines  pleasing  to  the  ears  and  flattering  to  the  senses. 


14 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


Men  who  boldly  reject  the  truths  of  faith,  and  ridicule  any  public 
profession  of  religion,  are  extolled  as  the  heroic  champions  of 
human  liberty.  Yes,  even  Catholics  have  been  known  to  join  the 
ranks  of  socialism  that  is  threatening  to  overthrow  the  entire  social 
order,  because  they  hope  thus  to  win  a reputation  for  broad-minded- 
ness and  intelligence. 

It  almost  seems  as  if  our  Saviour  had  the  present  generation  in 
view  when  He  asked:  “The  Son  of  man,  when  He  cometh,  shall 
He  find,  think  you,  faith  on  earth?”  (Luke  xviii,  8).  It  seems  as 
if  the  time  had  come  of  which  St.  Paul  was  thinking  when  he  said : 
“The  Spirit  manifestly  saith  that  in  the  last  times  some  shall  depart 
from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  spirits  of  error  and  doctrines  of 
devils,  speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy,  and  having  their  conscience 
seared”  (i  Tim.  iv,  i,  2). 

You  wonder,  perhaps,  why  infidelity  is  so  prevalent,  and  why  so 
many  people  reject  sound  doctrine,  and  are  led  astray  by  free- 
thinkers and  atheists.  It  is  not  because  of  any  difficulty  in  proving 
the  doctrines  of  Christianity  to  be  of  Divine  origin — they  have 
stood  the  keenest  criticism  of  scholars  in  every  age — but  infidelity 
is  the  outcome  of  pride,  which  refuses  to  submit  to  authority,  and 
of  sensuality,  which  rejects  what  Christianity  teaches  of  self-denial, 
mortification,  chastity  and  justice.  As  a rule  infidelity  begins  in 
the  heart,  not  in  the  intellect;  it  is  due  to  the  absence  of  a good, 
honest  will,  and  not  to  any  lack  of  convincing  arguments.  Truth  is 
ignored  as  something  troublesome  and  inconvenient ; it  is  not  loved, 
because  it  is  not  always  easy  to  declare  oneself  its  champion.  Con- 
sequently, men  cease  to  believe,  because  they  have  not  the  will  to 
believe,  and  prefer  to  listen  to  those  who  preach  a religion  that 
requires  belief  only  in  what  one  chooses  to  accept,  and  that  im- 
poses no  obligations  beyond  what  each  individual  is  willing  to  incur. 

St.  Jude  gives  an  excellent  description  of  unbelievers  in  the  fol- 
lowing words : “These  men  blaspheme  whatever  things  they  know 
not ; and  what  things  soever  they  naturally  know,  like  dumb  beasts, 
in  these  they  are  corrupted.  . . . These  are  spots  in  their  banquets, 
feasting  together  without  fear,  feeding  themselves,  clouds  without 
water  which  are  carried  about  by  winds,  trees  of  the  autumn  un- 
fruitful, twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  raging  waves  of  the 
sea,  foaming  out  their  own  confusion,  wandering  stars,  to  whom 
the  storm  of  darkness  is  reserved  for  ever.  . . . These  are  mur- 
murers,  full  of  complaints,  walking  according  to  their  own  desires. 


UNBELIEF 


15 


and  their  mouth  speaketh  proud  things,  admiring  persons  for 
gain’s  sake.” 

This  passage  reveals  the  unspeakable  misery  that  unbelief  inev- 
itably brings  upon  individuals  and  society  at  large.  It  destroys 
happiness,  by  opening  the  door  to  sin,  and  it  undermines  society  by 
removing  its  strongest  supports,  viz.,  virtue  and  fear  of  the  Lord. 

II.  The  weakening  of  a man’s  sense  for  truth  has  the  lamentable 
result  that  he  ceases  to  be  influenced  by  the  teaching  of  religion; 
but  still  more  disastrous  consequences  ensue,  if  he  deliberately 
embraces  error,  turns  away  from  the  light  and  silences  the  voice  of 
conscience.  Worst  of  all  is  it  if  he  falls  into  infidelity,  for,  as  a 
learned  man  has  said,  “the  surest  symptom  of  an  unhealthy  condi- 
tion in  a generation  is  the  rejection  of  truth,  rather  than  the  ac- 
ceptance of  error.”  A man  who  clings  to  some  error  feels  at 
least  some  need  of  religion;  and  one  whose  conscience  is  uneasy, 
knows  that  he  is  doing  wrong.  But  one  who  no  longer  believes 
anything  has  no  sense  for  truth,  uprightness  or  virtue.  Unbelief 
is  an  inexhaustible  source  of  evil,  and  has  in  every  age  been  a 
poison,  affecting  human  life  in  all  its  relations  and  causing  in- 
describable misery.  From  it  results  a state  of  sinfulness  in  which 
a man  shrinks  from  nothing,  since  he  fears  nothing,  God  and  con- 
science having  been  set  aside.  His  will  tends  always  to  evil,  and 
no  sense  of  honor  or  decency  deters  him  from  gratifying  his  de- 
sires; he  sins  without  realizing  what  he  does,  and  without  scruple. 

This  may  seem  a harsh  opinion,  but  it  is  not  unfair.  What  power 
is  there  able  to  keep  a man  from  sinning,  when  he  has  no  belief  in 
a just  and  omniscient  God,  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,-  and  in  a 
judgment  to  come?  Will  his  reason  check  him?  No,  for  reason 
may  err,  and  may  even  become  the  slave  of  passion.  “I  know,” 
says  St.  Paul,  “that  there  dwelleth  not  in  me,  that  is  to  say,  in  my 
flesh,  that  which  is  good.  For  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but  to 
accomplish  that  which  is  good,  I find  not.  For  the  good,  which 
I will,  I do  not;  but  the  evil,  which  I will  not,  that  I do”  (Rom.  vii, 
18,  19).  Can  his  conscience  restrain  him  from  wrong-doing?  No, 
for  it  is  unhappily  often  silenced  by  disorderly  desires,  and  if  it 
comes  into  conflict  with  worldly  interests,  its  warnings  and  threats 
fall  on  deaf  ears.  Is  a sense  of  honor  capable  of  guarding  man 
from  sin  and  the  shame  attached  to  it?  No,  for  in  proportion  as 
the  passions  increase  in  violence  and  man  yields  to  sin,  so  do  his 
nobler  instincts  vanish  and  cease  to  influence  his  actions.  Human 


i6 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


laws  and  public  opinion  are  of  no  avail  in  making  a man  refrain 
from  excesses,  injustice,  sin  and  vice.  The  cleverer  men  are,  the 
better  do  they  know  how  to  evade  the  restrictions  imposed  by  law. 
Where  there  is  no  thought  of  a Judge,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  or 
of  a general  judgment,  when  the  thoughts,  words  and  works  of  all 
mankind  will  be  weighed  impartially  in  the  balance,  or  of  a life 
beyond  the  grave,  when  every  man  will  be  rewarded  according  to 
his  works, — where  all  these  are  forgotten,  then  it  is  a waste  of  time 
to  look  for  justice  among  men,  for  the  best  laws  cease  to  have  any 
force.  In  a word, — by  robbing  a man  of  his  faith,  you  open  the 
door  to  sin  and  injustice  of  every  kind,  and  deprive  him  of  all 
motive  and  strength  to  do  right,  and  of  all  consolation  in  times  of 
suffering  and  adversity. 

If  a man  has  no  faith,  whence  can  he  derive  courage  to  resist 
the  temptations  of  this  life,  or  patience  to  endure  pain  and  sorrow, 
or  submission,  peace  of  mind  and  composure  under  all  circum- 
stances, or  humility  and  self-denial,  and  every  other  virtue?  His 
faith  teaches  him  that  the  path  of  suffering  is  also  that  of  glory, 
and  that  our  heavenly  Father  enables  us  to  will  and  to  perform  all 
good  works;  that  He  is  unchanging  in  His  wisdom  and  love;  that 
without  His  consent  not  a hair  can  fall  from  our  heads;  that  all 
the  thoughts,  desires  and  needs  of  our  hearts  are  known  to  Him, 
and  that  He  disposes  everj^hing  for  our  good.  Whence  shall  the 
poor  find  comfort  in  their  labor  and  distress  if  they  have  no  faith  in 
Jesus,  who  Himself  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head,  and  who  said : 
“Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven” 
(Matth.  V,  3)  ? What  consolation  is  there  for  the  sick,  the  perse- 
cuted and  the  despised,  if  they  have  no  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
bore  His  heavy  Cross  for  us,  and  drained  the  cup  of  suffering  to  the 
dregs,  and  promised  the  joys  of  heaven  to  those  who  should  bear 
their  crosses  after  Him  with  patience  and  resignation,  and  endure 
persecution  for  justice’s  sake?  What  hope  is  there  for  a desolate 
widow,  or  for  orphan  children,  left  alone  in  this  unkind  world,  if 
they  do  not  believe  in  our  heavenly  Father,  who  feeds  the  young 
ravens,  if  they  cry  to  Him,  and  clothes  the  flowers  of  the  field,  and 
cannot  possibly  forsake  those  who  are  of  more  value  than  birds  and 
flowers?  Surely  the  downtrodden  and  unfortunate,  whose  best  en- 
deavors are  unsuccessful  whilst  the  wicked  prosper  and  live  in 
luxury,  would  despair,  unless  they  were  upheld  by  their  belief  in' 
God’s  justice  and  a future  reward.  Faith  alone  makes  men  really 


UNBELIEF 


17 


just  and  good,  and  thus  it  is  the  foundation  and  support  of  all 
peace  and  happiness  in  this  world ; it  restrains  and  checks  pride  and 
the  disorderly  desires  that  are  the  chief  sources  of  all  the  evils 
afflicting  mankind,  and  it  implants  in  men’s  hearts  all  the  qualities 
that  make  for  peace,  viz.,  humility,  charity,  gentleness  and  patience. 
It  secures  to  each  his  property,  his  honor  and  all  that  is  advan- 
tageous to  him.  Faith  renders  men  truthful  in  speech,  honest  in 
business  and  faithful  to  their  promises,  whilst  it  guards  them  from 
envy,  malice  and  all  uncharitableness, — in  a word,  from  all  sin. 
What  a happy  place  the  earth  would  be  if  every  one  acted  accord- 
ing to  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel.  Each  would  be  contented  with 
his  position  and  with  the  circumstances  assigned  him  by  Providence, 
and  so  he  would  feel  neither  discontent  nor  envy.  The  poor  man 
would  bear  his  lot  with  patience,  and  the  rich  would  not  be  proud 
or  disdainful.  Those  in  authority  would  show  mercy  and  justice, 
and  the  working  classes  would  be  industrious,  peaceable  and  happy. 
There  would  be  no  jealousy,  no  disputes,  no  tricks  or  deception  in 
trade,  no  evil  speaking,  but  each  would  seek  what  is  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  neighbor,  as  well  as  himself,  and  all  would  walk  in 
justice,  purity  of  heart,  and  sanctity,  worthily  of  their  high  calling, 
and  rejoicing  that  their  labor  was  not  vain  in  the  sight  of  God. 
“This  is,”  as  St.  John  says,  “the  victory  which  overcometh  the 
world,  our  faith”  (i  John  v,  4). 

The  reason  why  human  society  is  now  so  far  removed  from  this 
happy  condition,  is  that  faith  has  grown  cold,  and  religion  has 
ceased  to  govern  men’s  thoughts  and  actions.  Infidelity  infects 
mankind,  and  where  it  prevails,  no  health  remains.  It  is  the 
source  of  disorder,  discontent,  rebellion,  insecurity,  attacks  on  the 
person,  honor  and  property  of  others,  pride,  envy,  ambition  and 
lust ; it  is  like  a mighty  torrent  threatening  to  overwhelm  all  orderly 
existence. 

The  socialists  aim  at  depriving  men  of  all  faith  in  an  almighty, 
good,  wise,  holy  and  just  God,  who  rewards  the  good  and  punishes 
the  evil,  and  if  they  succeed,  they  will  have  torn  down  the  supports 
on  which  all  social  order  rests.  Men  will  cease  to  concern  them- 
selves about  their  neighbor’s  welfare,  and  will  consider  only  how 
to  procure  the  greatest  amount  of  enjoyment  for  themselves. 
They  will  cherish  ill-will  and  hatred  against  those  who  can  afford 
luxuries,  and,  being  desirous  to  obtain  them  by  some  easy  method, 
not  by  honest  hard  work,  they  will  have  recourse  to  trickery,  theft 


i8 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


and  murder.  If  a man  does  not  believe  in  God,  in  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  our  Redeemer,  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul  and  in 
life  eternal,  he  'will  act  according  to  the  suggestion  of  his  evil  pas- 
sions, and  will  not  scruple  to  sin.  Should  mankind  in  general  act 
in  this  way,  a state  with  the  best  possible  form  of  government  would 
not  be  habitable  for  reasonable,  moral  beings,  but  would  be  the 
abode  of  savage  monsters. 

St.  Paul  has  given  us  a terrible  but  true  description  of  the  condi- 
tion of  men  who  have  no  faith.  He  says : “Men  shall  be  lovers  of 
themselves,  covetous,  haughty,  proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to 
parents,  ungrateful,  wicked,  without  affection,  without  peace,  slan- 
derers, incontinent,  unmerciful,  without  kindness,  traitors,  stub- 
born, puffed  up,  and  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  of  God,  having 
an  appearance  indeed  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof” 
(2  Tim.  iii,  2-5). 

That  a society  made  up  of  such  individuals  cannot  be  happy,  and 
must  sooner  or  later  perish,  is  self-evident.  Even  the  heathen  rec- 
ognized this  fact,  and  made  faith  in  the  gods  the  foundation  of  their 
constitution.  History  shows  that  those  nations  have  grown  great 
and  prosperous  in  which  religion,  virtue  and  fear  of  the  Lord  have 
flourished.  But  where  faith  has  ceased  to  leaven  domestic  and  pub- 
lic life,  all  those  virtues  have  disappeared  on  which  depends  the 
happiness  both  of  individuals  and  of  society.  We  have  all  heard 
of  the  horrors  of  the  French  Revolution;  they  were  the  lamentable 
outcome  of  the  infidelity  then  rife  among  the  people.  Where  God 
is  forgotten  and  unbelief  prevails,  immorality,  injustice,  cruelty  and 
violence  will  soon  appear  openly.  As  we  read  in  Holy  Scripture 
“Justice  exalteth  a nation,  but  sin  maketh  nations  miserable”  (Prov. 
xiv,  34).  Experience  proves  the  truth  of  these  words.  For  years 
false  prophets  have  been  sowing  the  seed  of  unbelief  and  indiffer- 
ence to  the  teaching  of  Christianity,  and  now  it  is  bringing  forth 
fruit,  and  we  have  in  our  midst  much  discontent  and  many  divi- 
sions; workmen  are  on  bad  terms  with  their  employers,  injustice 
and  deceit  are  common  in  business,  and  all  who  love  their  country 
must  inevitably  watch  with  apprehension  the  growth  of  these  and 
similar  evils. 

I need  scarcely  point  out  that  an  infidel  has  no  hope  for  the  life 
to  come.  Our  Saviour  said : “This  is  eternal  life,  that  they  may 
know  Thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  Thou  hast 
sent”  (John  xvii,  3).  “He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 


UNBELIEF 


19 


saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  condemned”  (Mark  xvi, 
16).  “He  that  believeth  in  the  Son  of  God  is  not  judged;  but  he 
that  doth  not  believe  is  already  judged,  because  he  believeth  not  in 
the  name  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God”  (John  hi,  18). 

Therefore,  I implore  you,  my  brethren;  listen  not  to  the  false 
prophets,  the  enemies  of  our  faith.  “Let  no  man  deceive  you  with 
vain  words,  for  because  of  these  things  cometh  the  anger  of  God 
upon  the  children  of  unbelief.  Be  ye  not  partakers  with  them. 
For  you  were  heretofore  darkness,  but  now  light  in  the  Lord. 
Walk  then  as  children  of  the  light;  for  the  fruit  of  the  light  is  in 
all  goodness,  and  justice,  and  truth”  (Ephes.  v,  6-9).  As  you  would 
flee  from  fire,  so  should  you  avoid  men  whose  tongues  are  like  flames 
devouring  your  faith,  your  most  precious  possession.  You  are 
careful  to  keep  aloof  from  a person  with  a contagious  disease;  be 
equally  careful  not  to  come  into  contact  with  the  emissaries  of  the 
devil,  whose  deceitful  words  might  destroy  the  life  of  your  souls 
and  plunge  you  into  ruin.  What  is  more  valuable  than  eyesight? 
Yet  these  people  deliberately  try  to  destroy  your  sight  and  lead  you 
into  darkness.  Cherish  with  jealous  care  the  faith  of  your  fathers! 
Cling  to  it,  for  the  way  of  faith  is  also  the  way  of  life,  on  which 
you  will  find  forgiveness  of  sins,  strength  to  persevere  in  what  is 
good,  help  in  distress,  counsel  in  difficulty,  comfort  in  affliction, 
peace  amidst  all  trials,  and,  finally,  the  salvation  of  your  immortal 
souls.  Do  not  be  contented  with  merely  preserving  your  faith,  but 
strive  to  learn  its  truths  more  and  more  perfectly,  that  it  may  grow 
stronger  and  be  a living  faith,  manifested  in  a truly  Christian  way 
of  life.  Order  all  your  actions  in  accordance  with  the  teaching  of 
this  faith;  shun  the  works  of  darkness  and  everything  opposed  to 
the  claims  of  religion;  keep  your  conscience  clear,  that  you  may 
have  no  reason  to  fear  the  chastisement  with  which  the  ungodly  are 
threatened,  but  may  look  forward  with  confidence  to  the  rewards 
promised  to  the  righteous.  “Let  your  light  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in 
heaven”  (Matth.  v,  16).  “Every  one  that  shall  confess  me  before 
men,”  says  our  Saviour,  “I  will  also  confess  him  before  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven”  (Matth.  x,  32)'.  If  you  conscientiously  keep  the 
Commandments,  you  will,  by  God’s  grace,  be  so  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  and  happiness  of  faith,  that  all  the  crafty  de- 
signs and  allurements  of  the  enemies  of  religion  will  be  powerless 
to  move  you,  and  will  never  cause  you  to  fall  into  infidelity.  Christ 


20 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


said-  “If  any  man  wiU  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me,  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I speak  of 

myself”  (John  vii,  17).  ^ v r r . *4- 

I have  now  pointed  out  to  you  the  bitter  fruits  of  unbelief;  it 

remains  for  each  of  you  to  do  his  utmost  to  prevent  this  wil  from 
spreading  amongst  us.  It  is  above  all  the  sacred  duty  of  Christian 
parents  to  watch  carefully  over  their  children,  for  the  teachers  o 
infidelity  aim  particularly  at  leading  the  young  astray.  Never  al- 
low your  sons  and  daughters  to  neglect  their  religious  duties,  or  to 
associate  with  immoral  and  irreligious  persons.  Do  not  shrink 
from  remonstrating  with  them  seriously,  if  you  detect  m them  any 
tendency  to  indifference  towards  religion,  and,  above  all,  set  them 
a good  example  by  yourselves  leading  a pious.  God-fearing  life  an 

doing  your  duty  as  Christians.  ^ 

Let  no  one  be  satisfied  with  possessing  faith  himself,  and  disre- 
gard  the  welfare  of  others.  Do  your  best  to  secure  the  pnceless 
gift  of  faith  to  all  your  relatives  and  dependents,  so  that  none  may 
rob  them  of  their  crown.  May  the  kingdom  of  God  increase  in  and 
around  you,  and  may  you  all  be  firmly  established  m Jesus  Chnst 
our  Lord,  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  faith.  Amen. 


DISOBEDIENCE 


21 


III.  Disobedience 


“Be  ye  subject^  therefore  to  every  human  creature  for  God’s 
sake  ...  for  so  is  the  will  of  God,  that  by  doing  well  you  may 
put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.” — I Peter  ii,  13,  15. 

Some  years  ago  there  was  an  outbreak  of  cholera  in  a certain 
town,  and  the  government  cautioned  the  people  against  eating  raw 
fruit,  since  experience  showed  that  those  who  did  so  usually  con- 
tracted the  disease.  Every  sensible  person  will  admit  that  this 
was  a wise  regulation,  but  some  of  the  people  in  the  town  consid- 
ered this  warning  an  interference  with  their  personal  liberty.  One 
man,  in  order  to  win  the  applause  of  the  people,  proceeded  to  eat 
publicly  a quantity  of  raw  fruit,  washing  it  down  with  cold  water, 
and  almost  immediately  after  he  was  seized  with  the  disease,  and 
died  of  it.  This  man  exemplifies  the  view  held  by  many  at  the 
present  day,  and  his  terrible  punishment  will  be  duplicated,  though 
in  another  form,  both  in  the  case  of  individuals  and  in  that  of 
society  as  a whole,  if  respect,  reverence  and  obedience  to  authority 
disappear,  and  every  person  claims  the  right  to  act  as  he  pleases. 
The  prosperity,  peace  and  security  of  mankind  depend  upon  obe- 
dience to  authority  in  family.  Church  and  State.  I know  that  now- 
adays the  authority  of  these  three  institutions  is  constantly  called 
in  question,  and  that  any  one  upholding  it  is  liable  to  criticism,  but 
this  fact  shall  not  deter  me  from  giving  utterance  to  the  truth,  and 
from  trying  to  show  you  that  disobedience  to  authority  is' opposed 
(i)  to  the  needs  of  mankind,  and  (2)  to  God's  order. 

I.  Wherever  we  go,  we  hear  a great  deal  about  liberty;  and 
many  would  not  be  sorry  if  all  mention  of  obedience  were  removed 
from  our  laws,  both  Divine  and  civil.  Man  is  indeed  free ; he  can 
determine  his  own  actions,  and  choose  between  good  and  evil;  he 
can  decide  to  do  one  thing  and  refrain  from  doing  another.  But 
he  has  unruly  inclinations,  desires  and  passions,  which  are  often  so 
strong  as  to  overpower  his  free  will.  Reason  bids  him  do  good  and 
not  evil,  but  reason  is  often  in  error,  and  even  when  her  judgment 
is  right,  she  is  apt  to  be  dominated  by  desires  and  passions,  and  a 
man  does  what  he  knows  to  be  wrong. 

We  read  in  the  Book  of  Wisdom  (ix,  15)  that  “the  corruptible 


22 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


body  is  a load  upon  the  soul,  and  the  earthly  habitation  presseth 
down  the  mind  that  museth  upon  many  things.”  St.  Paul,  too,  says : 
“I  do  not  that  good  which  I will,  but  the  evil  which  I hate,  that  I 
do”  (Rom.  vii,  15). 

In  his  sober  moments  the  drunkard  perceives  that  he  is  ruining 
his  health,  wasting  his  substance  and  bringing  misery  upon  his 
family,  but  nevertheless  he  cannot  abstain  from  drink.  Sometimes 
a tradesman  discovers  a way  of  making  money  by  fraud.  His 
reason  tells  him  that  he  ought  not  to  do  it,  but  his  covetousness 
overpowers  the  voice  of  reason,  and  he  acts  in  the  wrongful  manner 
to  promote  his  worldly  advantage.  It  would  be  easy  to  multiply 
similar  instances,  for  men  are  prone  to  be  dominated  by  their 
passions,  which  carry  them  away  and  implicate  them  in  irrational 
and  perilous  courses.  What  is  the  consequence  ? Must  there  not  be 
a law  that  restricts  their  freedom  and  that  controls  men’s  unruly 
appetites  and  passions  for  the  benefit  both  of  the  individual  and 
of  society,  and  must  it  not  be  a punishable  offense  to  transgress  this 
law  ? Where  shall  we  discover  the  law  and  its  guardian  ? A Chris- 
tian will  not  be  at  a loss,  but  will  reply  at  once : “God  is  the  supreme 
lawgiver,  and  He  makes  His  will  known  through  revelation  and 
through  the  human  conscience;  He  has  appointed  rulers  to  safe- 
guard His  laws  and  see  that  they  are  observed.”  Unbelievers,  how- 
ever, deny  all  this,  and  consider  conscience  to  be  the  sole  rule  of 
action.  Let  us  put  ourselves  for  a moment  at  their  point  of  view, 
and  see  where  it  leads. 

Conscience  undoubtedly  exercises  a controlling  force  over  a 
man,  stimulating  him  to  do  good  and  warning  him  against  evil;  it 
commends  him  when  he  does  right,  and  upbraids  him  when  he  does 
wrong;  it  admonishes,  approves,  rewards,  condemns  and  punishes 
him.  Every  one  claims  liberty  to  follow  the  dictates  of  conscience) 
and  pleads  its  bidding  in  justification  for  his  actions.  On  conscience 
ultimately  depend  the  sanctity  of-  marriage  and  of  oaths,  respect 
for  parents,  fair  dealing  in  business,  security  of  ownership,  obedi- 
ence on  the  part  of  subordinates — in  short  all  the  relations  of  life. 
But  although  conscience  tells  us  how  we  ought  to  act,  its  decision 
is  by  no  means  invariably  right,  nor  can  it  always  enforce  its 
decrees ; moreover,  men  do  not,  as  a rule,  habitually  act  in  accord- 
ance with  their  conscience.  Sometimes  the  consciences  of  different 
people  do  not  agree;  and  men  often  abuse  their  liberty  for  the 
purpose  of  deceiving,  or  misleading  others,  and  they  commit  many 


DISOBEDIENCE 


23 


sins  whereby  they  injure  their  neighbors’  honor  and  property.  Yel 
conscience  is  powerless  to  check  them,  though  it  may  raise  its  voice 
in  protest.  Frequently,  too,  is  conscience  asleep,  and  a man  sins 
without  being  aware  of  any  remonstrance;  his  dealings  with  others 
are  characterized  by  selfishness,  and  wounded  pride  often  impels 
him  to  disparage  his  neighbors,  while,  blinded  by  passion,  he  deludes 
himself  with  the  thought  that  he  is  only  asserting  his  own  rights, 
when  he  tramples  on  those  of  others. 

Such  being  the  case,  how  could  conscience  ever  be  the  sole  coun- 
sellor directing  our  actions?  We  require  another  lawgiver  and 
ruler,  able  to  control  our  passions  and  prevent  them  from  harming 
society;  and  if  this  lawgiver  does  not  reside  within  us,  there  must 
be  some  authority  external  to  ourselves.  No  one  doubts  that  parents 
naturally  possess  authority  over  their  children,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
obey  them.  But  what  supreme  authority  is  there  over  mankind 
in  general?  It  can  not  be  in  the  hands  of  men  like  ourselves,  in 
fact,  unless  we  accept  Christian  principles,  we  shall  refuse  to  admit 
that  any  one  in  the  world  has  a right  to  impose  laws  upon  us,  for 
one  man  is  as  good  as  another,  and  all  possess  equal  dignity  and 
equal  rights.  This  is  the  teaching  of  the  socialists.  Now  think  on 
the  one  hand  of  man,  with  his  reason  subject  to  error  and  decep- 
tion, with  his  conscience  either  enslaved  or  distorted,  and  with  all 
his  passions  and  evil  tendencies ; think  on  the  other  hand  of  sin,  as 
the  only  force  dominating  mankind,  and  you  will  see  that  the  in- 
evitable consequence  will  be  war,  war  waged  by  every  individual 
against  all  others — a conflict  of  pride,  avarice,  ambition,  lust  and  all 
the  passions — and  then  nothing  will  save  society  from  destruction, 
because  each  man  will  appeal  to  his  own  reason,  conscience  and 
liberty,  and  will  refuse  to  yield  to  and  obey  others. 

Human  society  will  at  last  fall  a prey  to  all  these  intolerable  evils 
if  men  despise  and  ignore  God’s  institutions,  and  if  the  superman 
claims  an  absolute  right  to  govern  himself,  thus  usurping  the 
rights  of  God,  our  supreme  Lord  and  Lawgiver,  and  of  His  In- 
carnate Son,  in  whom  we  believe.  If  liberty  of  conscience,  as  it 
is  called,  were  to  take  the  place  of  all  law,  each  individual  would  be 
free  to  injure  another,  and  would  claim  the  right  to  punish  wrong- 
doers, since  there  would  be  no  visible  authority  charged  with  the 
protection  of  innocence  and  the  chastisement  of  vice. 

According  to  these  theories,  even  the  human  laws  have  no  firm 
basis,  no  weight  and  no  higher  sanction ; they  are  devised  by  men 


24 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


for  themselves,  and  are  binding  only  to  the  extent  that  each  indi- 
vidual allows.  If  he  can  evade  them,  or  use  them  as  a cloak  for 
injustice,  so  much  the  better  for  him;  there  is  no  judge  to  whom  he 
is  answerable.  Conscience  can  not  be  invoked  in  support  of  the 
law,  for  conscientiousness  can  not  exist  where  there  is  no  fear  of 
God,  and  no  belief  in  future  retribution.  When  his  own  personal 
advantage,  pride  and  self-indulgence  are  concerned,  man  disregards 
law,  and  acts  as  he  chooses,  and  thus  the  peace  and  happiness  both 
of  individuals  and  of  society  as  a whole  are  constantly  endangered. 

Nothing  but  the  teaching  of  Christianity  on  the  subject  of 
authority  can  guard  us  from  all  these  evils,  and  permanently  ensure 
the  safety  and  prosperity  of  our  country. 

II.  Christianity  tells  us  that  God  is  our  supreme  Lawgiver,  and 
that  His  will  should  regulate  all  our  actions.  This  will  is  made 
known  to  us  through  the  voice  of  conscience  and  by  means  of 
revelation,  and  it  affects  the  well-being  of  the  family,  the  Church 
and  the  State,  these  three  indispensable  supports  of  the  social 
order.  Christianity  regards  marriage  as  instituted  by  God,  and  as 
indissoluble  by  man ; married  people  are  required  to  care  for  their 
children  and  dependents ; children  are  ordered  to  treat  their  parents 
with  affection,  respect  and  obedience,  and  servants  are  called  upon 
to  be  faithful,  obedient  and  industrious.  Christianity  declares  the 
Church  to  have  been  founded  by  God  for  the  good  of  mankind, 
and  her  members  owe  her  obedience.  Our  Saviour  said  to  His 
disciples : “He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me ; and  he  that  despiseth 
you,  despiseth  me;  and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that 
sent  me”  (Luke  x,  i6).  Christianity  bids  us  regard  the  secular 
government  as  God's  servant  and  representative.  On  this  topic 
St.  Paul  writes:  “Let  every  soul  be  subject  to  higher  powers,  for 
there  is  no  power  but  from  God,  and  those  that  are,  are  ordained 
of  God.  Therefore  he  that  resisteth  the  power,  resisteth  the 
ordinance  of  God;  and  they  that  resist,  purchase  to  themselves 
damnation.  For  princes  are  not  a terror  to  the  good  work,  but 
to  the  evil.  Wilt  thou  then  not  be  afraid  of  the  power?  Do  that 
which  is  good,  and  thou  shaft  have  praise  from  the  same.  For  he 
is  God's  minister  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which  is 
evil,  fear;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain,  for  he  is  God's 
minister,  an  avenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doth  evil. 
Wherefore  be  subject  of  necessity,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also 
for  conscience'  sake”  (Rom.  xiii,  1-5).  The  Apostle  lays  down 


DISOBEDIENCE 


25 


clearly  in  this  passage  the  principles  inculcated  by  Christianity  on 
the  subject  of  secular  government  and  the  obedience  due  to  it.  He 
insists  that  every  existing  form  of  government  was  instituted  by 
God  for  the  benefit  of  men  and  for  the  maintenance  of  peace,  order 
and  harmony,  to  restrain  the  evil  passion  of  men  and  punish  the 
transgressors  of  the  law.  Everyone  is  bound  to  submit  to  the  gov- 
erning power  of  the  State,  not  only  to  avoid  punishment,  but  as  a 
matter  of  conscience,  because  to  obey  is  a duty  laid  upon  us  all  by 
God.  You  see  therefore  that  Christianity  confers  upon  the  govern- 
ment a dignity  and  an  authority  which  it  would  never  have  in 
virtue  of  a compact  made  by  men;  its  claim  to  our  respect  and 
obedience  is  so  strong  and  universal,  that  no  one  can  disregard 
it  without  at  the  same  time  failing  in  the  reverence  and  obedience 
due  to  God,  and  incurring  the  punishment  imposed  on  all  who 
despise  His  Commandments.  “He  that  resisteth  the  power,  resisteth 
the  ordinance  of  God;  and  they  that  resist,  purchase  to  themselves 
damnation.” 

The  Gospel  teaches  us  to  render  to  Caesar  the  things  that  are 
Caesar’s,  but  it  also  requires  rulers  to  treat  their  subjects  justly. 
A ruler  ought  to  display  justice,  moderation  and  love  in  his  deal- 
ings with  his  people ; he  is  God’s  representative,  and  is  bound  there- 
fore to  govern,  as  God  governs,  so  as  to  promote  the  happiness  and 
prosperity  of  the  nation  committed  to  his  care.  God’s  wrath  will 
light  upon  all  rulers  who  oppress  and  enslave  their  subjects,  waste 
the  revenues  of  their  country  and  the  money  earned  by  the  labor 
of  the  poor,  and  use  their  high  position  as  a cloak  for  malice  and 
wickedness.  Such  rulers  are  influenced  by  their  fancies  and 
passions,  and  display  no  justice,  impartiality  or  charity  in  their 
actions.  “Hear,  therefore,  ye  kings,  and  understand;  learn,  ye  that 
are  judges  of  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Give  ear,  you  that  rule  the 
people,  and  that  please  yourselves  in  multitudes  of  nations;  for 
power  is  given  you  by  the  Lord,  and  strength  by  the  Most  High, 
who  will  examine  your  works  and  search  out  your  thoughts.  Be- 
cause, being  ministers  of  His  Kingdom,  you  have  not  judged  rightly, 
nor  kept  the  law  of  justice,  nor  walked  according  to  the  will  of 
God,  horribly  and  speedily  will  He  appear  to  you,  for  a most  severe 
judgment  shall  be  for  them  that  bear  rule.  For  to  him  that  is  little, 
mercy  is  granted,  but  the  mighty  shall  be  mightily  tormented.  For 
God  will  not  except  any  man’s  person,  neither  will  He  stand  in  awe 
of  any  man’s  greatness ; for  He  made  the  little  and  the  great,  and 


26 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


He  hath  equally  care  of  all;  but  a greater  punishment  is  ready  for 
the  more  mighty”  (Wisd.  vi,  2-9). 

Thus  both  rulers  and  ruled  are  protected  by  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity.  They  should  be  united  by  a bond  of  love,  and  vie 
with  one  another  in  promoting  their  mutual  happiness  and  the 
prosperity  of  their  country.  Of  course  instances  occur  of  corrup- 
tion in  the  ruling  class,  so  that  it  abuses  its  power  and  arbitrarily 
oppresses  the  people,  even  tampering  with  their  faith,  their  most 
sacred  inheritance.  How  does  it  behoove  us  to  act  in  such  a case? 
Ought  we  to  rebel,  to  refuse  obedience  and  to  raise  the  standard 
of  revolt?  No;  such  action  would  be  unworthy  of  Christians;  we 
are  entitled  to  express  our  opinions  freely  to  the  government,  but, 
having  done  so,  we  should  endure  with  patience  and  pray,  knowing 
that  God  in  His  wisdom  and  power  is  able  to  bring  about  another 
better  state  of  affairs,  if  it  be  His  will. 

When  St.  Paul  wrote  the  words  that  I have  just  read  to  you, 
the  Jews  were  dissatisfied  with  the  Roman  government,  and  had 
rebelled  against  it,  but  the  Apostle  did  not  sanction  their  rebellion, 
and  impressed  upon  the  Christians  in  Rome  the  principles  by  which 
they  ought  to  be  guided  with  regard  to  authority.  At  the  time  when 
the  books  of  the  New  Testament  were  being  written,  the  secular 
government  was  as  bad  as  it  could  possibly  be,  and  the  profession 
of  Christianity  was  enough  to  cost  a man  his  life ; nevertheless  the 
New  Testament  contains  no  instigation  to  revolt,  nor  do  we  read 
that  the  Christians  refused  to  obey  the  tyrannical  rulers  of  the 
pagan  empire.  They  did  indeed  remonstrate  respectfully,  but  when 
no  attention  was  paid  to  their  words,  and  efforts  were  made  to 
force  them  to  deny  their  faith  and  sacrifice  to  false  gods,  they 
only  said:  “We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men,’’  and  preferred 
to  endure  horrible  tortures  and  an  agonizing  death,  rather  than  be 
false  to  their  Saviour  and  His  Gospel.  In  all  secular  matters,  there- 
fore, it  is  our  duty  to  obey  those  in  authority;  only  if  they  order 
us  to  do  anything  contrary  to  the  teaching  and  principles  of  our 
faith,  we  must  not  obey,  for  in  that  case  obedience  would  be  sinful ; 
“we  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men.” 

Such  are  the  Christian  principles  regarding  the  relation  that 
should  exist  between  rulers  and  ruled.  Would  not  society  be  more 
settled  and  peaceful,  if  these  principles  were  universally  recognized 
and  respected?  Wherever  history  records  that  princes  and  peoples 
have  adhered  to  them,  there  has  been  prosperity,  order  and  dis- 


DISOBEDIENCE 


27 


cipline;  rebellions  have  been  unknown  and  the  rights  of  property 
have  been  upheld.  Princes  have  ruled  with  justice  and  mercy,  and 
their  subjects  have  obeyed  them  from  a sense  of  duty. 

No  reasonable,  impartial  observer  can  deny  that  our  faith,  the 
one,  true,  ancient  faith  of  Christianity,  is  the  sole  safeguard  of  the 
happiness  and  welfare  of  nations.  This  faith  affords  a firm  founda- 
tion to  society;  it  corrects  all  errors  and  removes  all  doubts;  it 
regulates  all  disorderly  desires  and  passions,  and  holds  them  in 
check;  it  directs  the  human  conscience  and  enforces  its  decisions; 
it  upholds  parental  authority  and  teaches  that  the  secular  govern- 
ment is  no  mere  tyrannical  force,  but  an  ordinance  of  God,  entitled 
as  such  to  make  laws  and  to  punish  wrongdoers.  Those  who 
attempt  to  rob  mankind  of  their  faith,  are  actually  destroying  the 
foundations  of  all  order.  Nowadays  atheists  and  socialists 
have  lost  all  belief  in  God  and  His  government  of  the  universe, 
they  have  no  faith  in  revelation  or  in  any  future  life,  consequently 
their  one  aim  is  to  enjoy  their  present  existence,  and  they  shrink 
from  no  means  towards  attaining  this  end.  The  poor  are  antago- 
nistic to  the  rich,  the  miserable  to  the  successful,  and  no  one  is  at 
peace,  no  one's  tranquility  is  assured.  If  conscience  has  ceased  to 
be  the  voice  of  God,  admonishing  us  to  remember  our  responsibili- 
ties, it  is  nothing  but  a pre-conceived  opinion,  and  a man  will  be 
guided  by  it  only  as  long  as  its  decisions  do  not  clash  with  his  own 
advantage,  interests  and  passions.  Then  an  oath  will  no  longer 
be  binding,  there  will  be  no  safeguard  for  any  man's  honor  or 
property,  and  the  law  will  lose  all  its  weight  and  force.  If  you 
reject  Divine  revelation  and  the  authority  of  the  Church,  and 
declare  reason,  left  without  guidance,  to  be  the  sole  source  of  truth 
and  justice,  you  will  plunge  into  a maze  of  erroneous  opinions, 
doubts  and  false  claims,  until  at  last  the  words  truth  and  justice 
will  convey  no  meaning  to  you,  and  you  will  be  bewildered  by 
innumerable  conflicting  theories.  If  you  say  that  man  is  autono- 
mous, and  that  it  is  beneath  his  dignity  for  him  to  obey  another, 
no  one's  person,  life,  reputation  or  goods  will  be  safe ; children  will 
rebel  against  their  parents,  students  against  their  teachers,  servants 
against  their  masters,  and  all  social  order  will  perish.  In  a word, 
as  soon  as  you  assert  that  there  is  no  God,  no  Divine  revelation 
that  men  are  bound  to  accept,  no  immortality,  no  judgment  and  no 
eternity  of  bliss  or  misery,  you  have  actually  declared  war  upon 
all  existing  authority  and  all  law ; you  have  taken  away  from  all  the 


28 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


relations  of  life  their  validity  and  justification,  and  eventually  all  our 
social  order  will  fall  into  ruins. 

Let  me  sum  up  shortly  what  I have  been  saying:  We  are  human 
beings  whose  minds  are  liable  to  error  and  deception,  whose  cons- 
ciences may  be  silenced,  whose  hearts  are  full  of  unruly  desires 
and  passions,  whose  wills  are  prone  to  evil — therefore  there  must 
be  some  visible  authority  to  preserve  order,  to  restrain  our  passions, 
to  direct  our  wills  and  to  punish  wrongdoers.  Infidel  doctrines  and 
principles  regarding  authority  are  opposed  to  the  nature  of  man 
and  the  ordinance  of  God,  and,  instead  of  promoting  the  happiness 
and  prosperity  of  society,  tend  inevitably  to  its  overthrow,  whereas 
the  teaching  of  Christianity  is  not  only  adapted  to  all  circumstances 
of  human  life,  but  affords  the  strongest  guarantee  for  the  welfare 
both  of  the  individual  and  of  the  State.  Hence  we  are  led  to  the 
conclusion  that  reason  and  conscience  both  constrain  us  to  submit 
to  the  rules  laid  down  by  religion,  and  to  be  subject  to  authority, 
in  family  life,  in  the  Church  and  in  the  State. 

In  the  words  of  St.  Paul  I exhort  you : “Bear  not  the  yoke  with 
unbelievers,  for  what  participation  hath  justice  with  injustice?  or 
what  fellowship  hath  light  with  darkness?  And  what  concord  hath 
Christ  with  Belial?”  (2  Cor.  vi,  14,  15).  The  doctrines  taught  by 
infidels  on  the  subject  of  authority  lead,  not  to  liberty,  but  to 
bondage,  the  shameful  bondage  of  sin;  for  “whosoever  committeth 
sin  is  the  servant  of  sin”  (John  viii,  34).  They  produce  confusion 
and  disorder,  not  peace  and  harmony ; they  promote,  not  the  welfare 
of  nations,  but  the  decay  of  all  morality,  learning,  trade  and  inter- 
course, and  destroy  all  ownership  and  earthly  prosperity.  If  the 
consideration  of  the  fatal  results  of  infidelity  fails  to  inspire  you 
with  horror,  look  at  the  teachers  of  these  doctrines — “by  their  fruits 
you  shall  know  them”  (Matt,  vii,  16).  They  talk  much  of  liberty, 
yet  they  are  the  slaves  of  their  own  evil  passions,  in  a bondage 
more  harsh  and  shameful  than  any  to  which  even  a most  over- 
bearing government  could  subject  them,  for  their  fetters  eat  into 
their  very  flesh,  destroying  all  their  health  and  happiness.  They 
profess  a desire  for  autonomy,  yet  they  blindly  follow  every  agitator 
who  flatters  their  pride,  greed  and  ambition,  and  knows  how  to  play 
upon  their  feelings.  They  say  that  they  will  not  be  kept  in  leading- 
strings,  yet  they  put  faith  in  every  scurrilous  newspaper,  full  of 
blasphemous  falsehoods  regarding  religion  and  the  religious  life, 
and  of  slanderous  statements  regarding  their  fellow  creatures. 


DISOBEDIENCE 


29 


They  preach  peace  and  independence  for  all,  and  yet  they  persecute 
unmercifully  any  who  dare  to  contradict  them,  or  to  hold  an 
opinion  opposed  to  their  own.  They  call  upon  the  masses  to  rid 
themselves  of  an  unpopular  government,  intending  to  grasp  the 
reins  of  office  as  soon  as  those  who  now  hold  them  have  been  driven 
jut.  Experience  shows  that  there  is  no  more  oppressive  and  un- 
endurable form  of  tyranny  than  that  which  the  so-called  Apostles 
of  Freedom  would  fain  exercise. 

We  may  apply  to  them  our  Saviour’s  warning : “Beware  of  false 
prophets,  who  come  to  you  in  the  clothing  of  sheep,  but  inwardly 
they  are  ravening  wolves;  by  their  fruits  you  shall  know  them” 
(Matt,  vii,  15).  Bear  not  the  yoke  with  such  as  these,  but  submit 
rather  to  the  easy  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ,  wherein  alone  true  freedom 
is  to  be  found;  “If,  therefore,  the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  you 
shall  be  free  indeed”  (John  viii,  36).  Let  us  submit  always  to  God’s 
ordinances,  for  He  is  our  Creator,  our  Lord,  our  King  and  our 
supreme  Lawgiver,  who  makes  His  will  known  unto  us  through 
our  own  conscience  and  His  Commandments,  and  who  has  instituted 
holy  Church  to  be  the  interpreter  to  us  of  His  will,  and  has  ap- 
pointed those  in  authority  over  us  to  be  His  ministers.  If  parents 
take  His  holy  will  as  their  rule  of  life,  morality,  peace  and  happi- 
ness will  prevail  in  every  home;  if  children  act  in  accordance  with 
this  will,  they  will  honor  their  father  and  mother,  and  live  long  and 
happily  on  earth,  whilst  their  parents  will  no  longer  have  cause  to 
complain  of  disobedience,  ingratitude  and  want  of  affection  on  the 
part  of  their  children,  and  will  not  be  forsaken  by  them  in  old 
age.  If  masters  and  servants  think  of  God’s  holy  will,  the  former 
'will  be  just  and  merciful,  and  the  latter  contented,  industrious  and 
faithful.  If  subjects  remember  that  it  is  God’s  will  that  they 
should  obey  those  in  authority,  the  peace  of  society  will  be  undis- 
turbed, and  the  prosperity  of  all  classes  will  be  promoted.  What- 
ever our  circumstances  may  be,  let  us  act  in  conformity  with  this 
Divine  will,  and  then  we  shall  be  happy  both  in  this  life  and  in 
eternity.  Amen. 


30 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 

IV.  Selfishness  and  the  Love  of  Money 

“Let  your  manners  be  without  covetousness,  contented  with 
such  things  as  you  have ; for  He  hath  said : I will  not  leave  thee, 
neither  will  I forsake  thee.” — Hebr,  xiii,  5. 

When  Noe’s  descendants  dispersed  after  the  deluge,  the  chil- 
dren of  Sem  settled  in  a plain  in  the  land  of  Sennaar,  and  they  said 
to  one  another : “Come,  let  us  make  a city  and  a tower,  the  top 
whereof  may  reach  to  heaven,  and  let  us  make  our  name  famous 
before  we  be  scattered  abroad  in  all  lands.”  But  the  Lord  saw 
the  city  and  the  tower  that  they  were  building,  and  said : “Behold, 
it  is  one  people,  and  all  have  one  tongue,  and  they  have  begun  to 
do  this,  neither  will  they  leave  off  from  their  designs,  till  they 
accomplish  them  in  deed.  Come  ye  therefore,  let  us  go  down,  and 
there  confound  their  tongue,  that  they  may  not  understand  one 
another’s  speech.”  So  the  Lord  scattered  them  from  that  place 
into  all  lands,  and  they  ceased  to  build  the  city;  and  therefore  the 
name  thereof  was  called  Babel,  i.  e.,  confusion  (Gen.  xi,  4-1 1). 

This  story  is  a type  of  the  state  of  affairs  at  the  present  time. 
Men  have  fallen  away  from  the  one  true  faith,  and  the  Gospel  has 
ceased  to  be  regarded  as  the  guide  of  their  life  and  the  source  of 
salvation ; and  consequently  a sense  of  discontent  and  a foreboding 
of  impending  misfortune  weigh  them  down,  and  they  devise  means 
of  averting  disaster  and  of  securing  peace  and  happiness.  Yet 
they  fare  like  the  children  of  Adam,  who  wanted  to  build  a tower 
that  they  might  always  keep  in  sight,  and  thus  avoid  being  scattered ; 
the  Lord  confounds  their  tongue,  and  not  only  do  their  opinions 
as  to  the  means  of  securing  happiness  differ  very  widely,  but  all 
their  efforts  are  without  result,  since  they  do  not  proceed  from  the 
source  whence  alone  flow  streams  of  living  water,  that  is  to  say, 
from  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  in  whom  alone  we  find 
salvation. 

We  have  seen  that  the  happiness  neither  of  individuals  nor  of 
society  can  be  promoted  by  disobedience  to  authority  and  general 
freedom  from  restraint.  We  have  still  to  discuss  selfishness,  ambi- 
tion and  love  of  amusement,  other  faults  characteristic  of  our  age, 
and  we  shall  find  that  they  are  equally  incapable  of  leading  to  true 
happiness.  To-day  let  us  consider  selfishness,  its  consequences  and 
the  means  of  curing  it. 


SELFISHNESS  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  MONEY 


31 


I.  If  a man  no  longer  believes  that  he- will  be  judged  after  death, 
and  live  for  ever  in  bliss  or  in  misery,  or  if  his  belief  is  too  weak 
to  exert  much  influence  over  him,  he  will  certainly  try  to  derive 
as  much  happiness  as  possible  from  this  present  existence,  and  his 
first  idea  will  be  to  aim  at  acquiring  riches.  As  soon  as  the  supreme 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  most  holy  and  perfect  Being,  ceases 
to  be  his  God  and  the  goal  of  his  life.  Mammon,  i.  e.,  earthly  wealth, 
will  become  the  object  of  all  his  endeavors,  and  the  master  whom 
he  serves.  Hence  St.  Paul  calls  such  a man  an  idolator. 

The  desire  to  make  money  is  not  in  itself  sinful  or  reprehensible; 
in  fact  we  are  impelled  to  do  so  by  the  instinct  of  self-preservation 
and  by  the  sense  that  it  is  our  duty  to  provide  for  others.  There 
are  many  passages  in  Holy  Scripture  encouraging  us  to  industry, 
and  we  are  told  that  he  who  is  too  lazy  to  work,  is  unworthy  to  live. 
Moreover,  we  are  taught  to  use  carefully  what  we  earn  by  our 
industry.  “Remember  poverty  in  the  time  of  abundance,  and  the 
necessities  of  poverty  in  the  day  of  riches”  (Eccles.  xviii,  25). 

It  often  happens,  however,  that  a man’s  selfishness  urges  him  to 
go  too  far,  and  he  wishes  for  earthly  possessions,  not  in  order  to 
use  them  properly,  but  simply  for  their  own  sake  and  because  they 
further  his  own  selfish  aims.  He  does  not  think  of  spending  his 
money  according  to  the  dictates  of  reason  and  Christianity,  or  of 
discharging  his  obligations  to  his  friends  and  relatives,  but  his  one’ 
idea  is  to  become  rich  and  powerful,  and  to  be  in  a position  to 
gratify  all  the  desires  of  his  selfish  and  covetous  heart. 

I think  this  is  one  of  the  chief  faults  of  our  age;  it  is  certainly 
more  common  now  than  it  has  ever  been  before,  and  it  gives  rise 
to  many  abuses  and  to  many  legitimate  complaints.  I need  scarcely 
point  out  to  you  how  universal  is  the  desire  to  make  money  and  to 
acquire  property.  It  is  a fault  common  to  people  of  every  age. 
The  young  are  dazzled  by  the  glamor  of  worldly  possessions;  their 
elders  are  unwearied  in  their  efforts  to  get  rich  and  to  add  to  what 
they  already  have,  whilst  even  the  old  still  cling  to  their  riches, 
and  delight  in  the  sense  of  ownership,  long  after  they  are  unable 
to  enjoy  them.  Different  people  have  different  ideas  of  happiness. 
Those  in  a high  social  position  wish  for  more  money  in  order  to 
live  in  a style  in  keeping  with  their  rank.  They  never  say : “I  have 
enough,”  but  plan  and  labor  to  increase  their  wealth.  Those  of 
lower  rank  regard  money  as  a means  of  pushing  themselves  for- 
ward, and  of  getting  more  influence  and  power,  and  they  exert 


52 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


themselves  to  the  utmost  in  order  to  attain  this  end.  The  poor 
are  particularly  eager  to  acquire  worldly  possessions,  and  regard 
the  lack  of  them  as  a very  great  misfortune.  They  look  with  envy 
and  ill-will  at  those  who  are  better  off,  and  think  that  happiness 
is  impossible  unless  they  can  be  rich. 

If  we  think  of  the  feelings  predominant  among  men,  we  shall  find 
that  they  all  lead  to  a desire  for  money.  A lover  of  luxury  wants 
to  be  rich,  that  he  may  satisfy  all  the  fancies  of  his  self-indulgent 
nature.  A lazy  man  wants  to  be  rich,  that  he  may  live  in  comfort 
without  exerting  himself.  An  ambitious  man  wants  to  be  rich, 
that  he  may  rise  to  a higher  position.  A debauchee  wants  to  be 
rich,  that  he  may  indulge  in  all  kinds  of  sinful  excesses.  In  a word, 
men  of  every  class  and  age  are  in  restless  pursuit  of  earthly 
possessions,  so  that  we  may  apply  to  them  the  words  of  Holy 
Scripture:  ‘^All  have  turned  aside  into  their  own  way,  every  one 
after  his  own  gain,  from  the  first  even  to  the  last”  (Is.  Ivi,  ii). 
“Blessed  is  the  rich  man  that  is  found  without  blemish,  and  that 
hath  not  gone  after  gold,  nor  put  his  trust  in  money  nor  in  treasures. 
Who  is  he,  and  we  will  praise  him?  for  he  hath  done  wonderful 
things  in  his  life”  (Eccles.  xxxi,  8,  9).  The  eagerness  to  gain 
wealth  is  universal,  though  some  desire  money  only  in  order  to 
hoard  it,  whilst  others  seek  it  in  order  to  spend  it  in  gratifying  their 
taste  for  self-indulgence;  both  classes  alike  are  influenced  by  a 
spirit  of  selfishness,  and  are  often  guilty  of  gross  injustice  to 
others,  being  unwilling  to  allow  anyone  else  to  share  their  posses- 
sions. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  varieties  of  injustice, 
fraud  and  imposture  to  which  a selfish  man  has  recourse  in  order 
to  get  the  better  of  his  neighbor.  “He  that  maketh  haste  to  be 
rich  shall  not  be  innocent”  (Prov.  xxviii,  20).  “They  that  will 
become  rich  fall  into  temptation,  and  into  the  snare  of  the  devil, 
and  into  many  unprofitable  and  hurtful  desires,  which  drown  men 
into  destruction  and  perdition”  (i  Tim.  vi,  9).  -Any  one  who  con- 
siders the  usual  behaviour  of  men  will  quickly  be  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  St.  Paul's  words.  There  are,  thank  God,  many  who  are 
honest  in  their  dealings  and  avoid  all  injustice  to  others,  but  there 
are  also  many  who  accumulate  wealth  by  means  of  sharp  practices 
in  trade,  by  fraud,  usury  and  cunning,  or  by  taking  good  wages 
for  bad  work.  Many  employers  of  labor,  in  factories,  mines  and 
shops,  oppress  their  working  people  and  force  them  to  work  for 


SELFISHNESS  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  MONEY 


33 


minimum  wages,  and  the  poor  are  reduced  to  such  straits  that 
they  have  neither  courage  nor  means  to  assert  their  rights.* 

Some  spend  their  money  in  ensnaring  the  weak,  simple  and  down- 
trodden, who  then  become  victims  of  their  lust  and  ambition.  But 
enough  of  this : the  wages  of  the  selfish  are  as  a rule  paths  of 
injustice,  cunning  and  malice,  and  can  seldom  be  reconciled  with 
the  precepts  of  reason  and  Christianity. 

Another  evil  resulting  from  selfishness  is  that  those  who  think 
only  of  their  own  advantage,  are  hardhearted  and  uncharitable 
towards  the  poor  and  needy.  They  resemble  Judas,  who  betrayed 
our  Saviour;  for  St.  John  records  that  when  Mary,  the  sister  of 
Lazarus,  anointed  our  Lord's  feet  with  precious  ointment,  Judas 
exclaimed:  “Why  was  not  this  ointment  sold  for  three  hundred 
pence  and  given  to  the  poor?"  (John  xii,  5).  He  did  not  say  this 
because  he  cared  about  the  poor,  but  because  he  was  thinking  of 
his  own  advantage,  since  he  had  charge  of  the  purse  in  which  were 
carried  the  alms  bestowed  on  our  Saviour  and  His  disciples,  and 
Judas  used  the  money  for  his  own  purposes.  Hence  St.  John  adds: 
“He  said  this,  not  because  he  cared  for  the  poor,  but  because  he 
was  a thief,  and,  having  the  purse,  carried  the  things  that  were  put 
therein."  No,  a selfish  man  is  not  interested  in  the  poor ; no  matter 
how  great  their  distress  may  be,  he  is  cold  and  indifferent,  either 
because  he  cannot  bring  himself  to  part  with  his  money,  or  because 
he  is  afraid  of  being  obliged  to  deny  himself  some  luxury,  if  he 
were  to  give  anything  to  his  starving  brother.  There  are  very  many 
nowadays,  like  the  rich  man  in  the  Gospel,  ready  to  spend  large 
sums  on  dress,  amusements  and  luxuries,  whilst  the  poor  in  their 
misery  would  gladly  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  their  em- 
ployer's table.  There  are  many  who  talk  about  the  necessity  of 
improving  the  condition  of  the  working-classes,  and  yet  forget  all 
their  fine  theories  the  moment  that  a poor  man  asks  them  for  some 
food  or  for  a worn-out  garment.  Many  are  willing  to  contribute 
towards  the  support  of  some  partisan,  who  has  come  down  in  the 
world,  but  they  allow  widows  and  children  to  suffer  hunger. 
Others  who  earn  more  in  a day  than  one  of  their  own  workmen 
earns  in  a month,  nevertheless  try  to  cut  down  the  wages  that  they 
pay,  and  when  their  men  are  past  work,  trouble  no  more  about  those 
to  whose  labor  they  owe  their  wealth.  Hard,  indeed,  is  the  lot 
of  a man  unfit  for  further  employment,  and  if  he  is  left  unaided  we 
can  not  wonder  if  he  cherishes  feelings  of  resentment  against  a 


34 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


master  in  whose  service  he  has  worn  himself  out,  and  who  neglects 
him  and  his  family  in  their  distress.  Some  employers  begrudge 
food  to  their  servants,  whilst  they  and  their  children  live  in  luxury. 
I should  never  finish,  were  I to  attempt  to  make  a complete  list  of 
the  sins  committed  throught  selfishness.  It  causes  the  fulfilment 
of  our  Saviour’s  prophecy:  “Because  iniquity  hath  abounded,  the 
charity  of  many  shall  grow  cold”  (Matt,  xxiv,  12). 

Those  who  are  self-interested  have  a bad  disposition,  and  it  is 
inevitable  that  in  their  case  charity  must  grow  cold;  and  when  a 
man  ceases  to  have  charity  towards  his  neighbors,  they  will  come 
to  hate  him  for  his  selfishness,  and  will  be  discontented  with  their 
position,  especially  if  they  have  been  robbed  of  their  religion,  which 
taught  the  poor  to  be  patient  and  submissive  for  God’s  sake,  and 
promised  them  the  joys  of  heaven  in  compensation  for  the  sorrows 
of  life.  The  chief  causes  of  discontent,  especially  among  the  lower 
classes,  are  selfishness  and  want  of  charity,  which  reveal  themselves 
both  in  word  and  deed.  “The  desire  of  money,”  says  St.  Paul,  “is 
the  root  of  all  evils”  (i  Tim.  vi,  10). 

No  one  can  deny  that  some  classes  of  society  enjoy  an  unfair 
advantage  over  others.  There  is  great  inequality  in  the  distribution 
of  wealth,  for  whilst  a few  are  possessed  of  immense  fortunes, 
thousands  have  nothing,  and  are  devoid  of  all  hope  of  ever  being 
better  ofiP.  The  profits  of  labor  often  belong  to  the  rich,  whilst  the 
workers  are  in  abject  poverty.  A wealthy  man  makes  money  at 
the  cost  of  the  poor,  and  as  the  gulf  between  them  widens,  the 
discontent  of  the  laborer  increases.  The  latter  seldom  has  any 
support  upon  which  to  rely  in  the  misery  and  injustice  that  he  has  to 
endure.  He  can  not  have  recourse  to  the  rich,  since  they  are,  as 
a rule,  his  oppressors,  and  few  of  them  are  charitable  enough  to 
be  at  the  pains  of  advising  and  helping  him.  If  he  seeks  the  pro- 
tection of  the  law,  he  often  fails  to  obtain  it,  through  lack  of  means, 
for  it  is  a notorious  fact  that  legal  proceedings  are  costly.  Or  he 
may  not  win  his  case,  even  if  it  is  heard,  for  laws  are  like  cobwebs, 
in  which  the  little  flies  are  caught,  whilst  big  flies  break  a way 
through.  All  these  things  are  sources  of  ill-will  and  hatred,  that 
ferment  in  the  minds  of  the  poor  and  oppressed,  and  reveal  them- 
selves openly  on  the  slightest  provocation,  so  that  the  discontented 
masses  are  ready  to  believe  any  one,  even  the  greatest  scoundrel, 
who  holds  out  to  them  some  prospect  of  an  improvement  in  their 
circumstances,  and  they  are  easily  led  to  rebel  against  authority. 


SELFISHNESS  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  MONEY 


35 


This  is  the  state  of  affairs  that  prevails  nowadays  more  or  less  in 
tvery  part  of  the  world. 

These,  considerations  will  convince  you  that  I have  good  reason 
to  include  selfishness  among  the  chief  faults  of  the  age,  and  to 
maintain  that  no  improvement  is  possible  and  that  we  must  remain, 
as  it  were,  on  the  edge  of  a volcano,  as  long  as  we  do  not  apply 
the  remedies  that  will  avert  its  eruption  and  subdue  its  latent 
powers  of  destruction.  What  are  these  remedies?  How  can  the 
evil  results  of  selfishness  be  averted?  Chiefly  by  means  of  a con- 
tented spirit,  moderation  and  charity. 

II.  (a)  However  much  we  may  exert  ourselves,  and  however 
earnestly  we  may  desire  it,  we  shall  never  succeed  in  all  acquiring 
as  large  a share  of  worldly  possessions  as  we  should  like  to  have, 
partly  because  their  distribution  rests  with  God,  and  partly  because 
the  cravings  of  the  human  heart  are  insatiable.  The  world  has 
existed  for  thousands  of  years,  but  we  have  no  record  of  any  period 
when  men  all  enjoyed  equal  possessions  and  were  all  contented. 
Whoever  therefore  demands  the  gratification  of  all  his  desires 
for  worldly  goods,  demands  an  impossibility;  he  is  like  a dropsical 
person,  whose  thirst  increases  the  more  he  drinks.  The  more  we 
strive  to  gratify  our  desires,  the  stronger  do  they  become,  nor  do 
they  cease  until  they  are  silenced  by  death.  What  does  it  benefit 
a man  to  toil  from  morning  till  night,  day  after  day,  in  a vain 
attempt  to  quiet  his  insatiable  craving  for  riches?  What  does  he 
gain  thereby?  Nothing  but  constant  anxiety,  trouble  and  fear; 
and  even  should  he  be  successful,  death  will  overtake  him  unawares, 
and  he  will  have  to  leave  what  he  has  acquired  with  so  much 
labor.  He  fares  like  the  rich  man  in  the  Gospel:  “The  land  of  a 
certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plenty  of  fruits,  and  he  thought 
within  himself,  saying:  ‘What  shall  I do,  because  I have  no  room 
where  to  bestow  my  fruits?^  And  he  said,  ‘This  will  I do:  I will 
pull  down  my  bams  and  will  build  greater;  and  into  them  I will 
gather  all  things  that  are  grown  to  me,  and  my  goods.  And  I 
will  say  to  my  soul : ‘Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many 
years;  take  thy  rest,  eat,  drink,  make  good  cheer.’  But  God  said 
to  him : ‘Thou  fool,  this  night  do  they  require  thy  soul  of  thee,  and 
whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided?’”  (Luke 
jcii,  16-20). 

Let  us  beware  of  resembling  this  fool.  Let  us  not  allow  our 
hearts  to  cling  to  the  vain  and  perishable  goods  of  this  world. 


36 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


which  can  never  make  us  happy.  “What  doth  it  profit  a man,”  said 
our  Saviour,  “if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  suffer  the  loss  of 
his  own  soul?”  (Matt,  xvi,  26).  And  St.  Paul  writes:  “Godliness 
with  contentment  is  great  gain ; for  we  brought  nothing  into  this 
world,  and  certainly  we  can  carry  nothing  out;  but  having  food 
and  wherewith  to  be  covered,  with  these  we  are  content”  (i  Tim.  vi, 
6-8).  What  we  possess  is  ours,  not  by  chance,  nor  by  any  stroke 
of  luck,  but  by  God’s  ordinance;  He  is  our  Father  and  knows  best 
what  is  good  for  us.  His  children;  He  gives  us  what  we  need. 
What  right  have  we  then  to  grumble  if  He  assigns  to  us  only  a small 
share  of  vain,  perishable  possessions  ? God  can  not  make  a mistake. 
Even  our  Saviour,  though  He  was  rich,  became  poor  for  our  sake, 
that  through  His  poverty  we  might  be  rich  (2  Cor.  viii,  9).  He 
had  not  where  to  lay  His  head,  and  lived  on  alms  with  His  disciples. 
He  endured  scorn  and  contempt,  unjust  and  cruel  treatment,  and 
He  died  in  agony  on  the  Cross,  and  yet  He  was  patient,  and,  like 
a lamb  led  to  the  slaughter.  He  opened  not  His  mouth.  Let  us 
follow  His  example  and  tread  in  His  footsteps.  The  Apostles,  too, 
were  poor  men,  continually  persecuted  and  oppressed,  and  yet  they 
rejoiced  in  tribulation,  and  were  glad  when  they  were  deemed 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  Christ’s  sake.  Let  us  be  contented 
with  our  lot,  and  satisfied  with  what  God  gives  us,  however  little 
it  may  be.  Then  we  shall  be  richer  and  happier  than  a millionaire, 
for  true  riches  depend,  not  upon  worldly  goods,  but  upon  a con- 
tented spirit.  “Godliness  with  contentment  is  great  gain”  (i  Tim. 
vi,  6).  “Godliness  is  profitable  to  all  things,  having  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come”  (i  Tim.  iv,  8). 
A Godly  man,  who  in  all  things  perceives,  does  and  reverences 
God’s  will,  and  who  is  content  with  His  ordinances,  will  be  happy, 
not  only  in  this  world,  in  spite  of  poverty  and  want,  but  also  in 
heaven,  where  he  will  receive  the  imperishable  crown  promised 
to  those  who  love  God.  “Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven”  (Matt,  v,  3).  A poor  man  fulfils  God’s 
will  by  displaying  a contented  spirit,  and  a wealthy  man  ought  to 
fulfil  it  by  means  of  charity. 

(b)  An  unequal  distribution  of  worldly  goods  is  inevitable,  be- 
cause God  has  ordained  it,  yet  it  is  not  so  unfair  as  it  appears  to  be 
at  first  sight.  On  the  contrary,  according  to  God’s  design,  it  may 
and  should  be  a source  of  merit  to  be  acquired  by  the  poor  by 
their  contentment,  patience  and  resignation,  and  by  the  rich  by 


SELFISHNESS  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  MONEY 


37 


their  active  charity,  which  should  bridge  over  the  chasm  separating 
rich  and  poor;  and  although  they  may  still  differ  in  respect  of 
worldly  possessions,  the  difference  will  no  longer  give  rise  to 
hostility  between  them.  God  created  these  possessions  that  each 
might  have  as  much  as  he  required  for  his  support ; hence  one  who 
accumulates  as  much  as  he  can,  without  thinking  of  his  fellow- 
creatures,  interferes  arbitrarily  with  the  designs  of  Providence,  and 
is  also  guilty  of  injustice,  since  other  men  have  as  much  right  as 
he  has  to  have  what  is  necessary  to  sustain  life.  God  destines  His 
gifts  for  all,  and  man  ought  to  act  as  His  steward,  obeying  His 
orders.  Although  God  is  absolutely  free  to  dispose  of  all  His 
creatures.  He  allows  the  widest  possible  scope  to  the  action  of 
man’s  free  will  and  independence  in  using  His  gifts.  If,  as  most 
infidels  at  the  present  day  assert,  it  were  absolutely  necessary  for 
all  to  possess  an  equal  share  of  earthly  goods,  liberty  would  cease  to 
exist.  But  God,  who  has  given  us  free  will,  permits  us  to  make 
use  of  our  freedom ; it  is,  however.  His  wish  that  in  the  acquisition 
and  use  of  worldly  possessions,  we  should  be  guided,  not  by  a 
spirit  of  injustice  and  selfishness,  but  by  a spirit  of  charity,  that 
we  may  be  like  Him,  who  is  charity  itself,  and  who  for  love  of 
us  has  created  millions  of  things,  both  animate  and  inanimate,  for 
our  benefit  and  service.  St.  Paul  bids  us  “be  kind  one  to  another, 
merciful,  forgiving  one  another  ...  be  followers  of  God,  as  most 
dear  children,  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also  hath  loved  us  and 
hath  delivered  himself  for  us”  (Ephes.  iv,  32;  v,  i,  2).  In  another 
place  the  same  Apostle  writes : “In  this  present  time  let  your 
abundance  supply  their  want,  that  their  abundance  also  may  supply 
your  want,  and  that  there  may  be  an  equality”  (2  Cor.  viii,  14). 
This  does  not  mean  that  every  rich  man  is  to  distribute  his  goods  to 
the  poor,  so  that  all  may  be  equal,  but  that  the  rich  should  help  the 
poor,  so  that  they  may  be  equal,  not  in  the  amount  of  their  pos- 
sessions, but  in  contentment  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  what  is 
needful.  If  the  rich  allow  their  poorer  brethren  to  share  their 
temporal  wealth,  they  in  their  turn  will  benefit  by  the  spiritual 
wealth  of  the  poor,  viz.,  their  prayers  and  merits,  so  that  all  may 
have  what  is  necessary  for  their  bodily  and  spiritual  welfare. 

I should  never  have  done,  were  I to  enumerate  all  the  reasons 
impelling  us  to  show  active  charity  towards  our  neighbors.  We 
can  not  love  God  unless  we  love  our  fellow  creatures.  “He  that 
hath  the  substance  of  this  world,  and  shall  see  his  brother  in  need, 


38 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


and  shall  harden  his  heart  against  him,  how  shall  the  charity  of 
God  abide  in  him?''  (i  John  iii,  17).  Our  Saviour  insisted  so  fre- 
quently upon  the  necessity  of  love  that  it  almost  seems  as  if  our 
prospect  of  salvation  depends  exclusively  upon  active  works  of 
charity.  In  their  epistles  all  the  apostles  urge  their  disciples  to 
practice  mercy  and  charity,  giving  as  their  reason  the  fact  that 
we  are  all  members  of  one  great  body,  of  which  Christ  is  the 
head.  If  I were  to  discuss  all  these  points  in  detail,  to  prove  to 
you  tlie  absolute  need  of  charity,  my  sermon  would  never  be 
finished;  but  no  proof  is  required,  for  no  one  doubts  that  it  is  our 
duty  to  show  love  and  mercy  towards  our  neighbors.  There  is 
within  our  hearts  a natural  tendency  to  sympathize  with  others  and 
to  share  their  joys  and  sorrows.  The  voice  of  our  intellect  as  well 
as  of  our  conscience  agrees  with  the  teaching  of  Christianity  on 
this  subject,  and  if  we  are  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty, 
we  shall  enjoy  the  greatest  and  purest  happiness  in  this  world,  and 
shall  look  forward  with  glad  assurance  to  life  everlasting. 

Yet,  although  it  is  plainly  our  duty  to  be  charitable,  no  one  can 
deny  that  many  people  disregard  this  obligation,  and  that  con- 
sequently selfishness  and  injustice  abound  among  those  with  large 
possessions,  whilst  the  poor  are  discontented  and  complain  bitterly 
of  their  privations  and  misery.  If  we  desire  peace  to  reign  in  our 
midst,  we  must  practise  charity,  not  the  sort  of  charity  that  is  the 
outcome  of  a momentary  impulse  to  alleviate  distress — for  this  has 
no  force  or  permanence,  and  is  not  really  charity  at  all — but  the 
charity  that  proceeds  from  living  faith,  and  derives  all  its  energy 
from  the  same  source.  This  is  the  charity  that  prevailed  in  the 
early  Church,  and  caused  all  men  to  wonder  at  the  self-sacrifice 
displayed  by  Christians  in  their  dealings  with  one  another;  this  is 
the  charity  that  roused  the  amazement  of  the  pagan  world,  and 
brought  the  heathen  in  thousands  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross;  this 
is  the  charity  that  has  founded  and  maintained  innumerable  good 
works  in  the  Catholic  Church;  this  is  the  charity  that  animated 
St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  and  a countless  host  of 
men  and  women  who,  renouncing  all  the  pleasures  of  the  world, 
have  devoted  themselves  wholly  to  the  service  of  the  sick  and  poor 
for  the  sake  of  Christ;  this  is  the  charity  described  by  St.  Paul, 
when  he  says:  “Charity  is  patient,  is  kind;  charity  envieth  not, 
dealeth  not  perversely,  is  not  puffed  up,  is  not  ambitious,  seeketh 
not  her  own,  is  not  provoked  to  anger,  thinketh  no  evil,  rejoiceth 


SELFISHNESS  AND  THE  LOVE  OF  MONEY 


39 


not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth;  beareth  all  things, 
believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things”  (i  Cor. 
xiii,  4-7). 

When  this  charity  once  more  reigns  supreme  amongst  us,  we 
shall  no  longer  value  a man  according  to  his  possessions,  but  accord- 
ing to  the  good  that  he  does  to  his  neighbors;  each  individual  will 
cease  to  seek  exclusively  his  own  advantage,  and  will  strive  to 
benefit  others  as  well  as  himself ; men  that  have  an  abundance  will 
supply  the  needs  of  the  poor ; there  will  be  no  selfishness  or  injustice 
on  the  part  of  employers,  and  no  discontent  and  envy  on  the  part 
of  their  working  people,  for  each  will  be  satisfied  with  what  he  has, 
and  in  patience  and  resignation  will  submit  to  God’s  holy  will. 

We  read  in  history  of  the  pagan  emperor  Alexander  Severus, 
who  was  fond  of  saying:  ‘‘Never  do  to  another  what  you  would 
not  like  to  suffer  yourself.”  He  caused  these  words  to  be  written 
up  in  many  parts  of  his  house,  so  that  he  might  never  forget  to 
make  them  his  rule  of  life.  Would  that  we  too  impressed  this 
maxim  well  on  our  minds,  as  well  as  our  Saviour’s  precept:  “All 
things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye 
also  to  them”  (Matt,  vii,  12).  St.  Paul,  too,  says:  “Do  not  forget 
to  do  good  and  to  impart,  for  by  such  sacrifices  God’s  favor  is 
obtained”  (Hebr.  xiii,  16).  Surely  this  ought  to  be  our  constant 
rule,  directing  all  our  actions ! It  will  also  ensure  our  salvation, 
since,  as  St.  John  Chrysostom  says:  “If  the  poor  plead  our  cause 
at  the  last  day,  our  salvation  will  be  assured ; but  if  they  appear  as 
witnesses  against  us,  our  condemnation  will  be  inevitable.”  Amen. 


40 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


V.  Ambition 

“You  know  that  the  princes  of  the  gentiles  lord  it  over  them, 
and  they  that  are  the  greater,  exercise  power  upon  them.  It  shall 
not  be  so  among  you,  but  whosoever  will  be  the  greater  among 
you,  let  him  be  your  minister,  and  he  that  will  be  first  among 
you,  shall  be  your  servant.” — Matt,  xx,  25-27. 

Our  Saviour  uttered  these  weighty  words  on  the  occasion  of  a 
noteworthy  occurrence  that  took  place  whilst  He  was  making  His 
last  journey  to  Jerusalem.  The  mother  of  James  and  John,  the 
sons  of  Zebedee,  approached  Him  with  her  two  sons,  adoring  Him 
and  beseeching  that  He  would  give  them  the  place  of  honor  in  His 
kingdom,  and  allow  them  to  sit  one  on  His  right  hand  and  the  other 
on  His  left.  It  seems  strange  that  these  two  disciples,  who  knew 
our  Lord  so  intimately,  should  let  their  mother  ask  such  a favor, 
and  thus  reveal  an  ambitious  spirit.  We  can  account  for  it,  how- 
ever, if  we  remember  that  the  Holy  Ghost  had  not  yet  descended 
upon  the  Apostles,  so  that  they  were  not  yet  filled  with  humility, 
and  their  request  shows  at  least  that  they  deemed  it  the  highest 
happiness  to  be  near  their  Master.  Our  Saviour  recognized  the 
love  that  prompted  their  petition,  and  did  not  reprove  them  sternly, 
but  said  gently:  '‘You  know  not  what  you  ask.”  He  told  them  that 
membership  of  His  kingdom,  the  Church,  did  not  confer  any  worldly 
advantage,  but  involved  on  the  contrary  suffering,  endurance  and 
self-denying  service,  and  even  were  they  willing  to  submit  to  all 
these  things,  the  privilege  that  they  sought  could  be  bestowed  only 
by  His  heavenly  Father.  When  the  other  Apostles  heard  these 
words  they  were  indignant  at  the  ambition  of  the  two  brothers, 
but  Jesus  said  to  them:  “You  know  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles 
lord  it  over  them,  and  they  that  are  the  greater,  exercise  power 
upon  them.  It  shall  not  be  so  among  you,  but  whosoever  will  be 
the  greater  among  you,  let  him  be  your  minister,  and  he  that  will 
be  first  among  you,  shall  be  your  servant.”  The  Apostles  were 
not  to  suppose  that  in  their  Lord’s  kingdom  the  sovereignty  re- 
sembled that  of  ordinary  states,  in  which  princes  issue  arbitrary 
commands  to  their  subjects  and  exhort  obedience  from  them.  Al- 
though in  Chijst’s  kingdom  there  were  to  be  differences  of  rank, 
and  some  were  to  command  and  others  to  obey,  yet  the  superiors 
were  really  to  serve  the  inferiors,  and  devote  themselves  to  their 
welfare.  This  is  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  a spirit  of  humility,  self- 
denial  and  self-sacrifice. 


AMBITION 


41 


My  brethren,  if  our  Lord’s  own  disciples  gave  way  to  ambi- 
tion, is  it  any  wonder  that  many  people  at  the  present  day  are 
addicted  to  the  same  vice?  “If  in  the  green  wood  they  do  these 
things,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?”  (Luke  xxiii,  31).  Like 
earthly  possessions,  so  do  worldly  honors  exercise  an  extraordinary 
fascination  over  men,  turning  their  heads,  and  preventing  them  from 
ever  being  at  peace,  until  they  have  attained  the  highest  social  rank 
and  the  applause  of  the  multitude.  People  desire  not  only  to  have 
wealth,  but  to  enjoy  great  reputation,  to  be  highly  esteemed  and 
to  possess  influence  and  power.  This  aspiration  is  one  of  the  com- 
monest failings  of  our  age,  and  I have  chosen  it  as  the  subject  for 
my  sermon  to-day,  for  boundless  ambition  is  due  to  the  suggestions 
of  the  evil  one. 

I.  Innate  in  every  individual  is  a wish  to  be  like  God,  and  a kind 
of  intolerance  of  all  who  are  great  and  powerful.  This  feeling  led 
* our  first  parents  to  disobey  God,  and  their  sin  has  brought  inde- 
scribable misery  upon  the  whole  human  race.  It  has  been  the  source 
of  many  evils,  and  especially  of  ambition  and  all  its  unhappy  con- 
sequences. As  long  as  men  acknowledge  God  to  be  their  supreme 
Lord  and  Judge,  and  as  long  as  they  take  the  teaching  and  example 
of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Divine  Redeemer,  as  the  rule  of  their  thoughts 
and  actions,  they  will  keep  their  craving  for  earthly  grandeur  and 
distinction  within  reasonable  limits,  for  they  will  give  honor  to 
God  in  all  things,  and  will  walk  in  humility  and  contentment  along 
the  paths  which  He  assigns  to  them.  But  when  Jesus  Christ  ceases 
to  be  their  Master,  Teacher  and  Guide,  self-love  will  reign  supreme 
in  their  hearts  and  dominate  all  their  thoughts,  words  and  works. 
This  self-love,  or,  as  it  is  called  in  Holy  Scripture,  pride  of  life,  has 
self  as  its  one  aim,  seeks  to  exalt  self  and  exacts  from  all  a tribute 
of  praise  and  adulation.  It  is  completely  opposed  to  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  and  is  a disturbing  element  in  society,  for  it  fills  men’s 
minds  with  madness  and  folly.  From  self-love  springs  ambition,  a 
vain  desire  to  rise  to  a level  with  others,  or  to  occupy  a superior 
position  in  which  applause,  fame  and  glory  will  fall  to  one’s 
lot.  Adam  was  dissatisfied  with  the  dignity  conferred  upon  him 
by  his  Creator,  and  aspired  to  becoming  like  God.  In  the  same  way, 
an  ambitious  man  is  never  contented  with  the  social  position  as- 
signed to  him,  and  aspires  to  something  higher,  where  he  will  en- 
joy more  honor,  influence  and  glory.  I said  in  our  last  discourse 
that  greed  for  money  and  possessions  is  extremely  common  nowa- 


42 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


days,  and  I may  assert  with  equal  assurance  that  ambition  has 
infected  every  class,  and  poisons  almost  all  hearts  in  a greater  or 
less  degree.  Few  are  willing  to  acknowledge  that  they  are  in- 
fluenced by  a craving  for  honor  and  glory,  but  whoever  carefully 
and  honestly  examines  the  motives  underlying  his  words  and  actions 
will  probably  find  that  he  is  not  free  from  a wish  to  shine  in  society 
and  to  win  applause.  Of  course  it  is  not  always  wrong  to  love 
honor  and  strive  to  acquire  it.  It  is  natural  for  every  person  to 
wish  to  stand  well  in  the  opinion  of  others,  and  to  derive  pleasure 
from  the  consciousness  of  enjoying  their  esteem;  this  feeling  is 
so  deeply  implanted  within  us  that  it  is  hardly  possible  for  it  to  be 
eradicated.  Even  a criminal  tries  to  hide  his  repulsive  and  odious 
proceedings,  since  he  fears  the  criticism  and  censure  of  those  about 
him.  But  love  of  honor,  being  natural  to  all  men  may  be  a means 
of  deterring  them  from  sin,  and  of  stimulating  them  to  virtue. 

If  a man  regards  himself  as  made  in  the  image  of  God,  as  re- 
deemed by  Jesus  Christ  and  as  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  if, 
in  consequence,  he  not  only  respects  himself  but  desires  others  to 
respect  him,  this  is  far  from  being  reprehensible  and  sinful,  and  may 
be  the  means  of  urging  him  on  to  greater  perfection.  St.  Paul  tells 
us  that  God  will  reward  with  eternal  life  all  who,  ‘‘according  to  pa- 
tience in  good  work,  seek  glory  and  honor  and  incorruption”  (Rom. 
ii,  7).  Therefore  in  calling  ambition  sinful,  and  in  describing  the 
pursuit  of  honor  as  reprehensible,  I have  no  intention  of  con- 
demning this  desire  to  win  recognition  for  the  dignity  that  man 
enjoys  in  consequence  of  his  redemption  and  sanctification;  nor  am 
I referring  to  any  aspiration  after  virtue  and  God^s  approbation, 
but  only  to  a vain  craving  after  wordly  honors,  dignities  and  dis- 
tinctions. This  latter  craving  is  much  more  common  than  the 
quest  of  true  honor,  pleasing  in  God’s  sight,  and  I can  easily  prove 
to  you  the  accuracy  of  this  statement.  Let  us  look  first  at  our  chil- 
dren. Their  hearts  are  still  free  from  many  violent  emotions  that 
disturb  our  peace,  but  they  are  not  free  from  ambition.  They  wish 
to  take  precedence  of  others  and  to  be  praised  by  parents  and 
teachers.  Older  boys  and  girls  want  to  distinguish  themselves  and 
to  attract  attention  by  their  dress.  They  are  sad  if  their  means 
do  not  suffice  to  purchase  finery,  and  they  envy  those  who  can  oc- 
cupy a better  position  in  society.  Who  does  not  like  to  be  flattered 
for  some  advantage  that  he  happens  to  possess?  Who  does  not 
delight  in  the  applause  of  relations  and  friends?  In  riper  age 


AMBITION 


43 


ambition  increases  rather  than  diminishes.  Each  wishes  to  sur- 
pass his  neighbor,  and  to  have  more  reputation  and  influence.  Few 
are  contented  with  their  position  and  circumstances,  if  they  see 
that  others  are  better  off.  In  many  cases  it  would  be  quite  possible 
for  a workman  to  support  his  family  upon  his  wages,  but  he  knows 
some  one  of  his  own  class  who  can  spend  more  money  on  comforts 
and  luxuries,  and  so  he  is  discontented  and  has  no  peace  of  mind. 

Many  business  men  have  all  that  they  need,  and  could  be  happy,  if 
they  chose;  but  they  are  too  ambitious  to  rest  as  long  as  others 
make  greater  profits  than  they  do.  Many  want  to  be  thought 
well-educated  and  refined,  and  force  themselves  into  the  ranks 
of  those  who  are  really  their  superiors.  The  most  ignorant  people 
often  succeed  in  their  attempts  to  push  themselves  forward,  be- 
cause at  the  present  time  intelligence,  knowledge,  modesty  and 
virtue  are  not  as  highly  esteemed  as  was  formerly  the  case,  and  it 
is  the  fashion  to  be  self-assertive,  to  run  down  others  and  to  adopt 
a bold  and  rough  manner.  Truth  can  no  longer  raise  her  voice 
without  arousing  a storm  of  abuse,  and  virtue  is  compelled  to  with- 
draw into  some  secret  hiding-place  to  avoid  the  risk  of  being  called 
stupidity  and  narrow-mindedness,  whilst  ignorance,  error  and  li- 
cense triumph  openly.  Hence  it  is  easy  enough  nowadays  to  pose 
as  intellectual  and  enlightened,  and  it  is  no  longer  necessary  to  ac- 
quire knowledge  with  labor  and  exertion ; men  no  longer  are  at 
pains  of  learning  by  experience  before  thinking  themselves  quali- 
fied to  express  an  opinion  on  public  affairs;  they  do  not  care 
to  win  the  respect  and  esteem  of  their  fellow  countrymen  by  a life 
of  honest  industry ; they  are  quite  content  to  talk  about  everything, 
whether  they  understand  it  or  not,  to  proclaim  their  views  on  every 
imaginable  topic,  and  to  attract  attention  by  their  bold  and  pre- 
sumptuous bearing.  If  they  can  do  this,  they  are  satisfied,  for  they 
fancy  that  they  possess  the  means  of  ensuring  their  own  happi- 
ness and  of  winning  applause  from  others. 

I need  hardly  point  out  that  their  aims  are  as  reprehensible  as  are 
the  means  that  they  adopt  in  order  to  attain  them.  An  ambitious 
man  does  not  scruple  to  employ  any  means,  if  only  he  can  rise 
to  a more  conspicuous  position.  He  stoops  to  base  practices  from 
which  a straightforward  man  would  shrink;  he  has  recourse  to 
fraud  and  hypocrisy  that  are  condemned  both  by  common  sense 
and  Christianity ; he  disparages  and  slanders  his  neighbors ; he  is 
disloyal  to  duty  and  religion,  and  he  even  sacrifices  virtue  and  in- 


44 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


nocence  on  the  altar  of  his  ambition.  In  a word — to  an  ambitious 
man  nothing  is  sacred,  if  only  he  can  gratify  his  craving  for  spuri- 
ous honors.  A workman,  for  instance,  who  wishes  to  rise  and  at- 
tract attention,  praises  his  own  work  and  criticizes  that  of  others ; 
he  parades  his  own  honesty  and  skill,  and  questions  the  ability  and 
trustworthiness  of  his  fellows.  A vain  girl,  anxious  to  curry  favor 
with  worldly  people,  practises  the  art  of  pleasing  and  deceiving 
others ; she  procures  all  sorts  of  tawdry  finery,  and  frequently  falls 
into  vice,  if  she  cannot  otherwise  indulge  her  taste  for  dress.  An 
ambitious  youth  runs  after  men  who  have  made  a name  for  them- 
selves, for  he  hopes  to  learn  from  them  how  to  do  the  same;  and 
he  soon  perceives  that  he  need  only  run  down  religion,  law  and 
authority,  abuse  individuals  and  the  general  state  of  affairs,  and 
boldly  disregard  all  order  and  discipline.  He  is  not  slow  to  prac- 
tise what  he  has  learnt,  and  finally  outstrips  his  masters. 

How  do  the  various  political  parties  act  at  elections?  One  party 
decries  another,  extols  itself,  and  makes  the  most  exaggerated  prom- 
ises as  to  what  it  will  accomplish,  should  it  win  the  day.  Candidates 
for  office  cringe  and  flatter  the  electors,  and  put  up  with  every- 
thing, if  only  they  can  secure  votes.  If  they  are  elected,  they  have 
to  exert  themselves  to  the  utmost,  in  order  to  retain  their  position. 
The  mob  resembled  a spoiled  child,  never  satisfied  unless  his  parents 
give  him  what  it  wants.  So  do  the  masses  applaud  their  idol  as 
long  as  he  humors  their  whims  and  flatters  their  fancies;  but  they 
discard  him  unmercifully  as  soon  as  he  ceases  to  do  so,  or  when  a 
more  plausible  speaker  appears  upon  the  scene.  Ambition  is  the 
keynote  to  the  actions  of  both  candidates  and  voters. 

There  is  perhaps  no  passion  that  causes  men  so  much  suffering  as 
ambition.  It  leaves  them  no  rest  and  is  every  day  the  source  of  fresh 
bitterness.  If  after  laborious  efforts  an  ambitious  man  attains  his 
end,  and  reaches  a higher  and  more  honorable  position,  he  at  once 
perceives  something  else  that  is  still  beyond  him.  The  same  thing 
happens  again  and  again;  he  is  always  trying  to  rise,  and  is  rest- 
less and  dissatisfied.  Should  he,  however,  fail  to  secure  the  coveted 
promotion,  he  is  sad  and  depressed,  and  detests  and  envies  his  more 
successful  rivals.  Consider,  my  brethren,  what  will  be  the  result 
if  this  incessant  craving  for  honor,  glory,  influence  and  power  be- 
comes universal.  What  will  happen  if  no  one  is  contented  with  his 
position  and  circumstances,  and  if  all  aspire  to  what  is  out  of 
their  reach,  in  their  anxiety  to  gratify  their  ambition?  Not  only 


AMBITION 


45 


men  of  mature  age,  but  even  mere  boys,  devoid  of  all  experience 
and  knowledge,  push  themselves  forward,  and  claim  a right  to  di- 
rect the  destiny  of  their  nation,  and  to  interfere  in  the  govern- 
ment. When  such  people  by  their  words  and  writings  are  con- 
tinually stirring  up  the  masses,  using  even  the  worst  means  in 
order  to  acquire  fame  and  notoriety,  it  is  impossible  for  any  good 
to  result.  The  more  ambition  abounds,  the  more  is  the  peace  of 
nations  endangered.  Ambition  lies  at  the  root  of  most  of  the  evils 
so  prevalent  at  the  present  time  among  men  of  every  rank  and  age, 
and  if  there  were  less  ambition,  we  should  not  have  to  complain 
of  so  much  discontent,  envy,  hypocrisy,  fraud,  jealousy,  vitupera- 
tion, strife  and  discord;  there  would  be  less  foolish  emulation,  less 
boastful  display,  and  fewer  disturbances,  for,  as  it  is,  the  peace 
and  security,  both  of  individuals  and  of  the  community,  are  con- 
stantly threatened,  and  we  may  well  believe  that  even  worse  evils 
are  impending. 

If  everyone  were  contented  with  his  lot,  he  would  not  think  it 
worth  while  to  envy  his  superiors.  If  all  were  animated  with  the 
Christian  spirit  of  humility  and  charity,  we  would  bless  rather  than 
curse,  and  our  blessing  would  be  returned.  Inferiors  would  not 
murmur  at  their  superiors,  nor  would  the  latter  despise  the  lowly, 
weak  and  helpless  members  of  society.  If  we  were  not  ambitious, 
we  should  regard  those  around  us  as  our  brethren,  loving  and  re- 
specting them,  and  not  attempting  to  raise  ourselves  above  them; 
there  would  be  no  tendency  to  rebel  against  law  and  order,  for  none 
would  cherish  feelings  of  arrogance  and  self-assertiveness.  Chris- 
tian humility  and  faithful,  persevering  industry  in  the  calling  as- 
signed to  us  by  God  are  the  only  means  whereby  we  can  protect 
ourselves  against  ambition,  and  the  innumerable  evils  that  result 
from  it. 

II.  My  brethren : if  we  did  our  best  always  to  walk  in  accordance 
with  our  high  dignity  and  destiny,  and  thus  to  honor  God  and 
render  ourselves  worthy  of  the  esteem  of  our  neighbors,  our  ef- 
forts would  be  by  no  means  rqjrehensible,  in  fact,  they  would  do 
much  to  keep  us  from  sin  and  to  make  us  persevere  in  virtue.  Few, 
however,  strive  after  honor  in  this  way ; what  the  world  calls  honor 
is  really  mere  vanity  and  vainglory.  We  do  not  seek  to  distinguish 
ourselves  by  the  goodness  of  our  lives  and  our  active,  self-sacrificing 
charity,  but  we  have  recourse  to  pitiable,  mean  devices,  and  so  we 
fail  to  attain  our  goal ; we  may  be  envied  by  fools,  but  we  are  the 


46 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


laughing-stock  of  the  wise.  Are  the  advantages,  at  which  we  aim, 
really  so  highly  esteemed  by  the  world,  as  to  justify  the  efforts  that 
we  make  to  secure  them?  Let  us  look  into  the  matter,  and  see 
whether  there  is  any  justification  for  our  love  of  display  and  for 
our  ambition. 

The  chief  objects  of  ambition  are,  as  a rule,  high  position,  repu- 
tation, knowledge,  recognition  of  merits,  external  display  and 
wealth.  What  do  all  these  amount  to?  Do  they  really  promote 
virtue  and  establish  a man’s  worth?  No,  his  worth  is  by  no  means 
determined  by  his  name  and  reputation  amongst  men,  nor  do  they 
affect  his  value  in  God’s  sight.  Glory  and  splendor  do  not  promote 
peace  and  the  happiness  resulting  from  a good  conscience.  All 
human  life  begins  and  ends  in  the  same  way;  all,  whether  kings  or 
beggars,  must  die.  All  our  knowledge  is  merely  fragmentary,  and 
the  more  a man  learns,  the  more  is  he  convinced  that  what  he  does 
not  know  is  infinitely  greater  in  amount  than  what  he  knows. 
Much  of  the  learning,  of  which  men  boast,  is  utterly  worthless. 
They  think  themselves  clever  if  they  can  criticize  or  ridicule  others, 
if  they  can  make  unseeming  jests  and  defile  innocent  minds  by 
foul  conversations.  They  are  proud  of  their  ability  to  depreciate  all 
existing  institutions  and  to  drag  what  is  sacred  down  to  the  dust. 
In  order  to  be  considered  broadminded  and  enlightened  a man 
must  be  a slanderer,  a liar  and  a hypocrite;  he  must  set  about  re- 
forming the  universe,  jeering  at  religion  and  denying  all  that  is 
holy.  Can  fame  won  by  such  means  be  worth  having?  No,  my 
brethren ; if  a true  reputation  for  intelligence  and  broadmindedness 
were  to  be  gained  in  such  a way,  the  devil  would  be  more  intelligent 
and  broadminded  than  anyone  else,  for  he  is  a master  of  all  these 
arts.  Have  we  any  right  to  boast  of  our  merits?  Surely  not,  for 
any  merit,  that  we  possess,  we  owe  to  God’s  grace,  and  it  would  be 
the  height  of  folly  and  presumption  to  glory  in  what  is  not  our  own. 
What  can  be  said  on  behalf  of  outward  pomp  and  display?  They 
are  the  adornments  of  a body  that  will  soon  fall  a victim  to  death, 
and  will  decay  in  the  grave.  Earthly  riches  can  never  bestow  true 
dignity  and  honor,  for  they  are  vain,  deceitful  and  transitory. 

Let  us  never  strive  after  these  things  in  the  hope  of  thus  win- 
ning honor  and  glory.  A craving  to  be  exalted  above  others  mani- 
fests itself  in  a disposition  to  aim  at  fame,  influence,  power  and  dis- 
play; it  is  really  mere  folly  and  madness,  totally  opposed  to  the 
spirit  of  Christianity,  which  inculcates  modesty  and  humility, 


AMBITION 


47 


St.  Peter  was  addressing  all  Christians,  when  he  wrote : “Do  ye  all 
insinuate  humility  one  to  another,  for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but 
to  the  humble  He  giveth  grace”  (I  Peter  v,  5).  We  shall  discover 
ground  enough  for  self-abasement,  if  we  consider  the  inexhaustible 
source  of  ruin,  that  dwells  in  every  human  heart,  and  recall  the 
multitude  of  evil  tendencies  to  which  we  are  so  ready  to  yield.  Our 
lives  are  stained  with  sin;  in  sin  we  are  conceived,  and  born,  in  sin 
we  live  and  in  sin  perhaps  we  shall  die.  If  we  boast  and  extol  our- 
selves, if  we  fancy  ourselves  to  be  something,  whereas  we  are  noth- 
ing but  poor,  sinful  mortals,  are  we  not  displaying  our  folly?  Does 
it  not  beseem  us  rather  to  be  humble,  instead  of  trying  to  exalt  our- 
selves above  others  and  to  acquire  things,  that  may  be  important 
and  valuable  in  the  sight  of  men,  but  are  absolutely  worthless  in 
the  sight  of  God  and  from  the  point  of  view  of  Christianity?  No 
human  being  ever  possessed  greater  honor  and  glory  than  David, 
and  yet,  when  he  was  at  the  apex  of  his  power,  he  said:  “Before 
the  Lord,  who  chose  me — and  commanded  me  to  be  ruler  over  the 
people  of  the  Lord  in  Israel,  I will  both  play  and  make  myself 
meaner  that  I have  done,  and  I will  be  little  in  my  own  eyes”  (2 
Kings  vi,  21,  22). 

Our  divine  Redeemer  set  us  an  example  of  humility,  for  al- 
though He  was  in  the  glory  of  the  Father,  before  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world.  He  humbled  Himself  for  our  sake,  and 
took  upon  Himself  the  form  of  a servant,  and  was  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  Cross.  He,  the  Lord  and  Ruler  of  all 
things,  came  into  the  world,  not  to  reign  as  king  or  to  be  served, 
but  to  be  the  servant  of  all,  in  order  to  serve,  raise  and  save  all 
mankind.  When  honors  were  offered  Him,  He  refused  them,  and 
escaped  when  the  people  proposed  to  make  Him  king.  He  sought 
not  His  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  His  heavenly  Father.  On  the 
eve  of  His  Passion  He  gave  a most  beautiful  and  touching  proof 
of  His  humility.  Having  assembled  His  disciples,  in  order  to  eat 
the  paschal  lamb  with  them  for  the  last  time.  He  washed  their  feet, 
saying : “If  I,  being  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet, 
you  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet,  for  I have  given  you 
an  example,  that  as  I have  done  to  you,  so  you  do  also  . . . The 
servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord,  neither  is  the  apostle  greater 
than  he  that  sent  him”  (John  xiii,  14-16).  Jesus,  Almighty  God's 
own  Son,  could  say  to  His  enemies : “Which  of  you  shall  convince 
me  of  sin?”  yet  He  cared  nothing  for  worldly  honor  and  was  the 


48 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


servant  of  all.  Does  it  not  therefore  behoove  us  to  be  humble,  since 
we  are  nothing  and  have  nothing  of  which  to  boast,  for  we  are 
all  sinners,  devoid  of  merit  in  God’s  sight?  Let  us  then  follow 
our  Saviour’s  example;  let  us  humble  ourselves  before  the  Lord; 
let  us  not  trouble  about  the  vain  and  transitory  honors  of  this 
world,  nor  try  to  raise  ourselves  above  our  neighbors,  but  let  us 
be  contented  with  the  position  in  which  Providence  has  placed  us. 
As  St.  Paul  says,  let  us  not  be  desirous  of  vainglory,  provoking  one 
another,  envying  one  another  (Gal.  v,  26).  The  world  would  be  a 
paradise  if  all  its  inhabitants  were  humble! 

If  we  wish  really  to  distinguish  ourselves,  and  to  win  true  honor 
and  lasting  glory,  let  us  make  it  our  chief  aim  to  promote  God’s 
honor  by  doing  His  will  with  loyalty  and  perseverance  in  the  place 
and  circumstances  in  which  He  has  set  us.  The  light  of  our  good 
works  should  shine  abroad,  so  that  our  heavenly  Father  may  be 
glorified. 

God  assigns  to  every  one  his  position  and  calling  in  society,  and 
it  matters  nothing  whether  a man’s  rank  is  high  or  low ; all  that  is 
of  real  importance  is  whether  he  discharges  the  duties  and  obliga- 
tions of  his  rank  with  fidelity  and  zeal.  A community  is  made  up 
of  people  of  all  classes,  each  is  required  by  the  rest,  just  as,  in  the 
human  body,  each  member  is  necessary,  however  insignificant  it 
may  appear.  The  hand  cannot  complain  of  being  a hand,  nor  the 
foot  of  being  a foot,  nor  ought  any  person  to  complain  of  the 
position  that  he  occupies,  but  it  behooves  each  to  do  his  best  to  fulfil 
the  duties  of  his  station.  Just  as  in  the  human  body,  the  foot  and 
the  hand  cannot  be  the  eye,  so  in  society  it  is  not  possible  for  each 
man  to  be  great  and  influential;  yet  each  can  win  imperishable 
glory  by  faithfully  doing  his  duty,  not  struggling  to  rise  above  the 
position  assigned  him  by  God,  nor  setting  his  hopes  and  aspirations 
on  vain  and  worthless  things. 

The  chief  aim  of  every  man  should  be  to  save  his  soul.  “Fear 
God  and  keep  His  commandments,  for  this  is  all  man”  (Eccles.  xii, 
13),  i.  e.,  this  is  all  that  is  required  of  man,  for  this  alone  brings 
him  true  honor  and  eternal  life.  Hence  our  Saviour  said:  “Seek 
ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His  justice,  and  all  other  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you”  (Luke  xii,  31).  We  seek  the  Kingdom 
of  God  and  secure  the  salvation  of  our  immortal  souls  when  we 
obey  God’s  commandments,  and  are  industrious  at  our  daily  work. 
All,  even  the  poorest  and  lowest,  can  do  this,  for  all  are  God’s 


AMBITION 


49 


children,  called  to  inherit  His  kingdom ; all,  both  high  and  low,  have 
been  redeemed  with  the  precious  Blood  of  Christ,  and  with  God's 
aid  are  able  to  work  out  their  salvation.  “God  will  have  all  men 
to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.”  Per- 
severe therefore  in  your  daily  work,  no  matter  how  distasteful  and 
obscure  it  may  be;  your  station  was  fixed  for  you  by  God,  and 
ordered  by  Him  in  His  wisdom ; accept  it  and  respect  it  as  coming 
from  Him.  “Walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  in  which  you  are  called, 
with  all  humility  and  mildness,  with  patience,  supporting  one  an- 
other in  charity”  (Eph.  iv,  i,  2).  Aim  above  all  things  at  the  one 
thing  needful,  viz.,  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  justice,  and  be 
sure  that  all  other  things,  especially  God’s  grace,  will  be  given  you. 
Without  grace  we  can  do  nothing,  but  with  it  we  can  live  at  peace, 
each  in  his  own  position  and  calling,  and  can  work  out  our  own 
salvation.  Amen, 


50 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


VI.  The  Love  of  Pleasure  and  Luxury 

“Take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  perhaps  your  hearts  be  over- 
charged with  surfeiting  and  drunkenness  and  the  cares  of  this 
life,  and  that  day  come  upon  you  suddenly.” — Luke  xxi,  34. 

To-day  we  are  reminded  of  our  Lord’s  solemn  entry  into  Jeru- 
salem. After  raising  Lazarus  from  the  dead  in  Bethany,  He  went 
to  the  holy  city  for  the  Pasch,  escorted  by  a great  multitude  of 
people,  who  had  witnessed  the  miracle.  As  He  approached  the 
city,  the  crowd  increased  and  their  enthusiasm  for  Him  rose  higher 
and  higher.  They  desired  to  form  a solemn  procession,  so  Christ 
ordered  His  disciples  to  fetch  a she-ass,  on  which  He  rode,  whilst 
the  people  spread  their  garments  on  the  way,  and  strewed  the  road 
with  branches  broken  from  the  trees;  the  multitudes  that  went  be- 
fore and  that  followed,  cried,  saying:  '‘Hosanna  tq  the  Son  of 
David;  blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord”  (Matth. 
xxi,  9). 

A vivid  description  of  this  triumphal  procession  is  given  us  in 
the  gospel,  and  the  shouts  of  “Hosanna,”  with  which  the  multitude 
greeted  the  Prince  of  Peace,  typify  the  exultation  of  mankind  at 
their  redemption  by  Christ.  He  came  to  remove  the  curse  resting 
upon  our  sinful  race  and  to  restore  peace  to  men.  Hence  at  His 
birth  the  angels  sang  at  Bethlehem:  “Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace  to  men  of  good  will.”  In  remembrance  of  the 
joys  of  the  true  peace  brought  us  by  our  Saviour,  palm  branches, 
a symbol  of  peace  and  joy,  are  blessed  each  year  on  this  Sunday. 

It  is  indeed  true  that  Christ  established  peace  between  heaven  and 
earth,  but  many  persons  are  still  far  from  being  partakers  in  it. 
Deep  in  the  heart  of  every  one  of  us  is  a craving  for  peace,  and 
we  all  strive  to  attain  it,  some  in  one  way,  some  in  another,  but  it 
is  nowhere  to  be  found  save  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
We  have  already  seen  that  peace  of  mind  does  not  depend  on  earthly 
possessions  or  a high  position  in  the  world.  Let  us  try  to-day  to 
discover  whether  indulgence  in  luxury  and  pleasure  is  likely  to 
secure  for  us  a true  and  lasting  peace.  There  are  vast  numbers  of 
people  nowadays  who  seek  happiness  in  enjoyment,  and  many 
would  be  disposed  to  say  that  it  constitutes  men’s  greatest  satisfac- 
tion on  earth.  We  shall  see,  however,  that  this  is  not  the  case,  and 
that,  on  the  contrary,  an  inordinate  craving  for  earthly  pleasures 
destroys  the  peace  and  happiness  of  individuals  and  of  society  in 


THE  LOVE  OF  PLEASURE  AND  LUXURY 


51 


general.  True  peace  and  prosperity  are  to  be  found  only  in  Chris- 
tian self-dnial  and  moderation. 

I.  As  soon  as  a human  being  becomes  capable  of  serious  thought, 
and  of  deliberately  choosing  some  pursuit  with  reference  to  a 
definite  aim,  he  is  impelled  to  do  his  utmost  to  secure  for  himself 
prosperity,  peace  and  contentment.  If  he  is  guided  by  the  light 
of  reason  and  revelation;  if  he  recognizes  God  as  the  highest  good, 
and  realises  that  perfect  happiness  consists  in  the  possession  of 
this  good,  then  he  will  aim  first  and  foremost  at  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  His  justice,  and  will  strive  to  live  a good  life  in  God’s 
service.  If,  however,  in  his  quest  of  happiness  he  forgets  his  high 
calling,  and  never  thinks  of  God,  of  his  immortal  soul,  or  of  eternity, 
his  instinctive  desire  for  happiness  will  make  him  turn  to  the  things 
of  this  world,  and  he  will  seek  it  in  amusement  and  luxury.  It 
was  thus  that  the  pagans,  who  knew  not  God,  behaved;  and  yet 
God,  our  highest  good,  can  alone  satisfy  the  craving  of  the  human 
heart  for  peace  and  joy.  A Christian  knows,  or  ought  to  know, 
that  he  was  created  for  heaven,  not  for  this  world  and  its  enjoy- 
ments, which  can  never  satisfy  him.  He  will  never  be  at  rest  unless 
he  possesses  God,  our  supreme  and  absolute  good. 

Hence  St.  Paul,  writing  to  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica,  says : 
‘‘Brethren,  we  pray  and  beseech  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  as  you 
have  received  of  us,  how  you  ought  to  walk,  and  to  please  God,  so 
also  you  would  walk,  that  you  may  abound  the  more.  For  you 
know  what  precepts  I have  given  to  you  by  the  Lord  Jesus.  For 
this  is  the  will  of  God,  your  sanctification : that  you  should  abstain 
from  fornication ; that  every  one  of  you  should  know  how  to 
possess  his  vessel  in  sanctification  and  honor,  not  in  the  passion  of 
lust,  like  the  Gentiles,  that  know  not  God”  (I  Thes.  iv,  1-5). 
St.  Peter  tells  us  how  the  Gentiles,  who  knew  not  God,  sought 
happiness,  for  he  writes:  “The  time  past  is  sufficient  to  have  ful- 
filled the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  for  them  who  have  walked  in  riotous- 
ness, lusts,  excess  of  wine,  revelling,  banqueting,  and  unlawful 
worshipping  of  idols”  (I  Peter  iv,  3).  If  the  Apostle  were  writ- 
ing to  us,  who  profess  to  be  Christians,  and  are  well  aware  that 
such  things  are  unseemly,  I fear  he  would  have  just  cause  for 
upbraiding  us  with  all  these  sins  and  vices,  for  our  age  has  re- 
lapsed into  the  evils  of  antiquity,  and  it  may  well  be  said  of  our 
generation,  as  of  that  which  existed  before  the  deluge:  “All  flesh 
hath  corrupted  its  way  upon  earth”  (Gen.  vi,  12). 


53 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


Christians  have  forgotten  that  they  ought  not  to  love  the  world 
or  the  things  of  the  world,  and  that  he  alone,  who  doth  the  will  of 
God,  hath  eternal  life.  They  take  no  pains  to  be  holy,  and  so  to 
merit  supreme  happiness  with  God  in  heaven.  Like  the  Gentiles 
of  old  they  seek  happiness  here  on  earth  in  riotousness,  lusts, 
drunkenness,  and  all  the  other  enjoyments  which  the  world  offers. 
If  we  wanted  to  describe  the  mode  of  life  of  many  people  at  the 
present  day,  we  might  employ  the  language  used  by  our  Saviour 
in  speaking  of  Dives,  of  whom  He  said  that  he  was  clothed  in 
purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared  delicately  every  day.  If  you  look 
about  you,  you  will  see  many  who  live  thus,  knowing  no  greater 
pleasure  than  to  spend  money  lavishly  on  luxury  and  display. 
Would  that  there  were  amongst  us  none  who  belong  to  this  class  1 
Love  of  enjoyment  is  unfortunately  so  general,  that  there  are  very 
few  altogether  free  from  it,  though  they  may  seek  to  gratify  their 
craving  in  a refined,  not  in  a coarse  manner.  It  would  be  an  end- 
less task  to  enumerate  the  various  ways  in  which  people  seek  en- 
joyment, and  the  forms  of  amusement  and  luxury  that  they  have 
devised  for  their  own  delectation.  There  are  innumerable  things 
invented  for  the  gratification  of  the  eye,  the  ear  and  all  the  other 
senses,  and  all  sorts  of  means  for  increasing,  varying  and  refining 
the  enjoyment  afforded  by  these  things,  and  for  stimulating  a desire 
for  them,  whenever  it  grows  dull  through  surfeit  and  excess. 

The  ingenuity  of  man  has  produced  thousands  of  things  intended 
to  beautify  life  in  this  world,  and  there  are  other  things  too,  on 
w’hich  I cannot  dwell,  because  St.  Paul  says  they  ought  not  even  to  be 
named  amongst  Christians.  No  elaborate  argument  is  needed  to 
prove  that  a taste  for  luxury  and  amusement  exists  among  all 
classes.  Millions  of  workers  and  machines  are  at  work  day  after 
day,  producing  the  means  of  gratifying  this  taste,  and  the  materials 
used  are  brought  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  are,  in  many 
cases,  procured  with  indescribable  difficulty  and  danger.  The  rich 
spend  extravagant  sums  on  dress  and  display,  and  are  continually 
discovering  fresh  requirements  and  amusements,  whilst  the  lower 
classes  do  their  utmost  to  rival  their  superiors  in  all  these  respects. 
Our  dwelling  houses  are  no  longer  characterized  by  simplicity  and 
comfort,  and  few  people  prefer  quiet  domestic  happiness  to  noisy, 
public  entertainments.  Every  one  is  incessantly  engaged  in  the 
restless  pursuit  of  fresh  forms  of  amusement,  aiming  at  the  great- 
est possible  variety  rather  than  at  permanence.  The  saddest  feat- 


THE  LOVE  OF  PLEASURE  AND  LUXURY 


53 


ure  in  all  this  is  that  no  one  stops  to  ask  whether  these  amusements 
are  lawful  or  not,  and  whether  they  will  injure  himself  and  others. 
No  one  has  time  for  such  reflections,  which  might  diminish  our 
taste  for  enjoyment.  young  man,  for  instance,  would  hardly 
continue  to  lead  a dissolute  Jife,  if  he  realized  that  he  was  ruining 
both  his  body  and  his  soul.  Married  men  would  refrain  from  drink- 
ing to  excess,  if  they  thought  of  the  scandal  thus  given  to  their 
innocent  children,  and  the  misery  thus  brought  upon  their  families. 
Who  would  not  break  himself  of  the  habit  of  drinking  too  much, 
if  he  seriously  believed  that  he  was  shortening  his  life,  and  perhaps 
incurring  eternal  damnation  ? But  in  their  mad  desire  for  pleasure, 
men  do  not  think  of  all  these  things;  they  do  not  care  about  duty 
or  look  forward  to  the  future,  if  only  they  can  have  present  en- 
joyment. Many  workmen  are  industrious  enough,  but  their  wages 
are  spent  in  the  company  of  drunkards  and  gamblers,  not  on  the 
support  of  their  homes.  The  week's  earnings  are  often  squandered 
in  a few  hours,  and  nothing  is  left  for  wife  and  children.  Fre- 
quently boys  and  girls  are  set  to  work,  long  before  they  are  strong 
enough,  in  order  that  their  parents  may  be  free  to  enjoy  themselves. 
In  many  a household  there  is  misery  and  want,  year  after  year, 
because  sin  continues  to  reign  supreme.  In  every  town  and  vil- 
lage there  are  people,  who  by  their  industry  and  frugality  have 
won  for  themselves  a comfortable  livelihood  and  the  respect  of 
their  neighbors.  Those,  however,  who  spend  every  penny  as  soon 
as  they  get  it,  will  never  prosper.  Religion  dies  out,  when  every- 
thing has  to  yield  to  a love  of  amusement;  and,  where  men  no 
longer  believe  in  God  and  in  a future  retribution,  they  cease  to 
discriminate  between  lawful  and  forbidden  pleasures,  and  act  as 
if  they  could  do  whatever  they  liked.  They  shrink  from  nothing 
that  will  gratify  their  passions;  they  override  all  obstacles  to  their 
self-indulgence.  This  is  an  inevitable  result  of  their  ceasing  to 
fear  God  and  the  judgment,  as  then  there  is  nothing  else  to  fear. 
Why  should  they  attend  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  or  to  the  pray- 
ers of  relatives  and  the  warnings  to  friends?  Everything  must  be 
sacrificed  to  their  craving  for  luxury  and  amusement.  On  all  sides 
we  hear  complaints  of  dishonesty,  untruthfulness  and  theft;  the 
poor  grumble  at  their  hard  lot,  and  at  their  inability  to  procure  for 
themselves  all  the  comforts  enjoyed  by  the  rich.  If  this  state  of 
affairs  continues,  it  will  lead  to  the  impoverishment,  degeneration 
and  ruin  of  all  classes.  The  number  of  idlers  will  increase  in  pro- 


54 


fflE  CHIEF  EVILS  VF  THE  TIMES 


portion  as  that  of  workers  diminishes;  and  men  who  are  too  lazy 
or  too  effeminate  to  work,  will  soon  lay  hands  on  the  property  of 
others. 

In  recent  .^ears  we  have  heard  agitators  loudly  protesting 
that  all  ownership  is  robbery,  and  that  the  possessions  of  all  ought 
to  be  distributed  equally.  The  same  people  tell  us  that  only  fools 
hope  for  a better  life  beyond  the  grave,  and  that  therefore  a 
reasonable  man  must  enjoy  this  present  life  to  the  utmost,  since 
death  ends  everything.  They  look  forward  apparently  to  a golden 
age,  when  each  man  will  be  as  rich  as  his  neighbor,  and  can  take 
as  his  motto:  “Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  shall  die’^ 
(Is.  xxii,  13).  Many  have  been  misled  by  these  false  prophets, 
and  in  anticipation  of  future  prosperity,  have  parted  with  their  sav- 
ings, and  have  given  up  work,  thus  plunging  themselves  and  those 
dependent  upon  them  into  poverty.  We  have  great  reason  to  fear 
that  these  pernicious  doctrines  are  spreading  far  and  wide  among 
the  working  classes. 

If  any  one  possesses  no  hope  of  future  happiness,  he  must  in- 
evitably fall  a victim  to  despair,  which  impels  him  to  commit  most 
horrible  crimes,  if  he  fails  to  secure  prosperity  in  this  life.  It  is 
therefore  diabolical  cruelty  to  rob  the  down-trodden  and  oppressed 
of  their  faith  and  hope.  Alleviation  for  the  manifold  troubles  of 
mankind  is  to  be  found  in  firm  faith  in  the  teaching  of  Christianity, 
not  in  any  revolutionary  schemes  devised  by  human  beings.  Men 
must  be  taught  that  they  are  created,  not  for  this  world  nor  for  the 
joys  that  it  can  offer,  but  for  another  better  life  beyond  the  grave, 
where  they  will  be  happy  for  ever  in  the  possession  of  God,  Who 
is  infinite  goodness.  No  one  animated  by  this  belief  will  over- 
value the  good  things  of  this  world,  but  will  regard  them  merely 
as  means  for  attaining  the  end  for  which  he  is  destined,  and  so  he 
will  make  use  often  with  moderation  and  self-control. 

II.  Christianity  does  not  forbid  all  pleasures,  but  only  such  as  are 
sinful.  As  St.  Paul  says : “Every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and 
nothing  is  to  be  rejected  that  is  received  with  thanksgiving’'  (i  Tim. 
iv,  4).  In  another  passage  the  same  Apostle  writes:  “Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  always;  again  I say,  rejoice”  (Phil,  iv,  4).  That  is  to 
say:  Rejoice  in  such  a way,  that  in  the  midst  if  your  enjoyment 
you  can  think  of  God,  remember  that  He  is  the  Giver  of  all  good 
gifts,  and  be  thankful.  “Whether  you  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
else  you  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God”  (i  Cor.  x,  31).  Yet, 


THE  LOVE  OF  PLEASURE  AND  LUXURY 


55 


though  it  is  true  that  a Christian  may  partake  in  lawful  pleasures, 
it  is  equally  true  that  he  ought  to  be  so  far  master  of  himself,  as  to 
be  able  to  deny  himself  even  a lawful  pleasure  for  the  sake  of  some 
higher  end.  That  is  why  our  Saviour  said  to  His  disciples:  “If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up 
his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  he  that  will  save  his  life,  shall  lose 
it;  and  he  that  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it.  For 
what  doth  it  profit  a man,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  suffer  the 
loss  of  his  own  soul?”  (Matt,  xvi,  24). 

From  a Christian  point  of  view,  what  must  we  think  of  a man 
whose  mind  is  set  on  sensual  pleasures,  and  who  is  always  eager  to 
participate  in  anything  that  would  gratify  >is  senses?  He  is  an 
animal,  pure  and  simple,  without  higher  aspirations  and  appar- 
ently indifferent  to  his  true  diginty  as  a being  made  in  the  likeness 
of  God,  to  his  position  as  heir  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  to  the 
glorious  destiny  that  should  be  his  own.  Does  such  a man  deserve 
to  be  called  after  One  Who  said:  “If  any  man  will  come  after  me, 
let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me?” 
(Matth.  xvi,  24).  Does  he  deserve  to  be  included  among  the 
members  of  ChrisFs  Church,  of  which  the  Apostle  writes:  “The 
Kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  justice,  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost?”  (Rom.  xiv,  17).  No,  my  brethren,  one 
whose  whole  mind  is  set  upon  sensual  pleasures  and  who  seeks  in 
them  his  supreme  happiness,  has  put  himself  on  a level  with  the 
beasts,  is  false  to  his  high  calling  and  dignity,  and  has  become  a 
slave  to  his  desires  and  passions.  He  refuses  to  serve  God,  but 
is  in  bondage  to  his  animal  lusts  and  instincts;  he  has  fallen  away 
from  Christianity,  since,  as  St.  Paul  says,  “If  any  man  have  not 
the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  His”  (Rom.  viii,  9),  and  the 
spirit  of  Christ  is  one  of  self-denial  and  renunciation.  Although 
we  are  allowed  to  enjoy  earthly  pleasures,  a Christian  ought  never 
to  forget  his  dignity,  and  should  be  able  to  renounce  all  such  joys 
for  the  sake  of  God,  and  for  his  own  good  and  that  of  his  neigh- 
bors. A Christian  will  act,  not  according  to  his  animal  instincts, 
but  according  to  the  teaching  of  his  religion.  He  must  know  how 
to  enjoy  and  how  to  refrain,  remembering  the  Apostle's  words: 
‘The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  justice,  and  peace, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.”  Man  was  not  created  in  order  to 
eat,  drink  and  be  merry,  nor  can  he  find  true  happiness  in  these 
things;  he  was  made  to  fulfill  God’s  Will,  and  to  find  thus  true 


56 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


peace  and  eternal  gladness.  “Fear  God  and  keep  His  Command- 
ments, for  this  is  all  man”  (Eccles.  xii,  13).  On  one  occasion  our 
Saviour’s  zeal  in  teaching  caused  Him  to  disregard  the  ordinary 
mealtime,  so  His  disciples  besought  Him  to  eat,  and  He  replied: 
“I  have  meat  to  eat  which  you  know  not.  My  meat  is  to  do  the 
will  of  Him  that  sent  me,  that  I may  perfect  His  work”  (John  iv, 
32,  34).  We  are  not  put  into  the  world  to  eat,  drink  and  be  com- 
fortable, but  to  do  God’s  Will,  and  so  work  out  our  salvation.  If 
we  know  that  our  treasure  is  laid  up  in  heaven,  we  shall  not  ask 
for  much  in  this  world;  our  desires  will  easily  be  satisfied;  we 
shall  not  envy  those  who,  like  Dives  in  the  parable,  are  dressed 
in  purple  and  fine  linen  and  live  in  luxury,  for  we  shall  remember 
that  we  have  a higher  destiny.  Dives  was  cast  into  hell  because 
he  cared  for  nothing  but  amusements  and  luxuries,  whilst  poor 
Lazarus,  who  enjoyed  no  happiness  here  below,  was  carried  to 
Abraham’s  bosom,  i.  e.,  to  heaven.  No  one,  who  looks  forward  to 
the  joys  of  heaven,  repines  if  he  has  not  so  much  pleasure  here  as 
the  children  of  this  world  possess ; he  will  say  with  the  Apostle : 
“Everywhere  and  in  all  things  I am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and 
to  be  hungry;  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need”  (Phil,  iv,  12). 

Let  us  look  at  sensual  pleasures  from  another  point  of  view : 
a sensual  man,  who  thinks  only  of  enjoyment  here  below,  inevitably 
shortens  his  life.  Our  own  experience  confirms  the  medical  opin- 
ion that  excessive  luxury  leads  to  untimely  death.  Moreover  self- 
indulgence  destroys  all  generous  ardour  in  the  young,  and  involves 
them  in  a career  of  crime,  which  leads  to  ruin  here  and  hereafter. 
Everyone  knows  that  a drunkard  becomes  incapable  at  last  of 
using  either  his  reason  or  his  will ; so  that  he  says  and  does  things 
utterly  beneath  the  dignity  of  a human  being,  that  make  him  a 
scandal  and  a laughing-stock  to  his  neighbors.  His  household 
gradually  falls  into  want,  misery  and  disorder,  and  intemperance 
is  a fertile  source  of  discord  and  sorrow,  for  it  destroys  all  family 
life.  Many  wives  and  children  shed  bitter  tears  over  the  drunken 
habits  of  those  who  ought  to  be  their  support;  for  when  a man 
thinks  about  nothing  but  enjoying  hirrtself,  he  has  no  energy  for 
work,  he  wastes  his  substance,  falls  deeper  and  deeper  into  sin,  and 
finally  is  lost  beyond  hope  of  recover}^  St.  Paul  tells  us  that  many 
walk  as  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  whose  end  is  destruction, 
whose  God  is  their  belly,  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind 
earthly  things  (Phil,  iii,  19).  After  all,  what  is  the  pleasure  so 


THE  LOVE  OF  PLEASURE  AND  LUXURY 


57. 


ardently  desired  that  for  its  sake  a man  is  willing  to  sacrifice  his 
own  health,  position  and  peace  of  mind,  and  the  happiness  of  those 
dependent  upon  him?  It  is  a miserable,  vain  and  worthless  thing, 
lasting  but  a short  time  and  ending  in  sorrow.  A wise  man  once 
said : “In  the  cup  of  self-indulgence  the  froth  is  sweet,  the  draught 
itself  is  insipid,  the  after-taste  is  bitter  and  its  effects  are  painful,  if 
not  deadly.”  A voluptuary  lowers  himself  to  the  level  of  a beast, 
and  the  proud  spirit  within  him  is  crushed  and  put  to  shame. 
When  he  dies,  the  channels  of  the  senses  are  for  ever  closed,  and  the 
soul,  tliat  still  remains  alive,  passes  to  a land  where  there  is  no  eat- 
ing and  drinking,  no  luxury  and  adornment.  Whoever  seeks  hap- 
piness here  below,  labors  in  vain,  for  the  world  can  never  satisfy 
the  craving  of  the  human  heart.  Its  gifts  soon  cease  to  charm  and 
pall  on  us  by  their  monotony,  and  the  mere  thought  of  death  is 
enough  to  deprive  them  of  all  attractiveness.  Hence  St.  John  ad- 
monishes us : “Love  not  the  world,  nor  the  things  which  are  in  the 
world.  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  charity  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world  is  the  concupiscence  of  the 
flesh,  and  the  concupiscence  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life, 
which  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world.  And  the  world 
passeth  away,  and  the  concupiscence  thereof,  but  he  that  doth  the 
Will  of  God,  abideth  for  ever”  (I  John  ii,  15-17).  St.  Augustine 
experienced  the  truth  of  these  words;  he  had  every  talent  with 
which  nature  can  endow  a man,  and  was  eager  to  satisfy  his  thirst 
for  knowledge  and  happiness.  He  exhausted  all  the  resources  of 
the  world,  and  tested  its  learning  and  pleasures,  and  at  the  end  he 
made  this  notable  confession:  “Lord,  Thou  hast  created  us  for 
Thyself,  and  our  hearts  are  restless  until  they  rest  in  Thee.” 

There  is  nothing  better  or  more  expedient  than  self-denial  and 
moderation.  These  are  virtues  inculcated  by  the  Cross  of  Christ, 
and  all  must  acquire  them,  if  they  wish  to  be  followers  of  Him  Who 
had  not  where  to  lay  His  head,  Who  lived  on  alms,  whose  thirst 
was  quenched  with  vinegar  and  gall,  and  Who  suffered  His  Flesh 
to  be  nailed  to  the  Cross,  that  we  might  be  able  to  subdue  the  im- 
pure lusts  of  our  flesh,  and  to  triumph  over  it  by  His  spirit.  Self- 
denial  makes  a man  master  over  his  own  desires  and  passions,  and 
also  over  all  earthly  things,  and  it  is  a firm  basis  of  happiness 
and  a source  of  joy  and  contentment.  Similar  happiness  is  en- 
joyed by  those  who  understand  how  to  use  with  moderation  the 
lawful  pleasures  of  life.  Moderation  preserves  our  health,  strength. 


58 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


good  spirits  and  energy  of  body  and  mind.  It  makes  us  ready  and 
able  to  work  with  success.  A temperate  man  is  capable  of  dis- 
charging his  duties  as  a Christian,  a citizen  and  a husband ; he  has 
not  only  enough  for  himself,  but  something  for  his  neighbor,  and 
thus  he  can  contribute  toward  the  well-being  of  others. 

Let  us  take  to  heart  our  Saviour’s  teaching  on  the  subject  of 
luxury  and  self-indulgence ; let  us  remember  that  He  said : “Woe  to 
you  that  are  rich,  for  you  have  your  consolation;  woe  to  you  that 
are  filled,  for  you  shall  hunger ; woe  to  you  that  now  laugh,  for  you 
shall  mourn  and  weep”  (Luke  vi,  24,  25),  but  “blessed  are  ye  poor, 
for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God;  blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now, 
for  you  shall  be  filled;  blessed  are  ye  that  weep,  for  you  shall 
laugh”  (ibid,  v,  20). 

Do  not  forget,  my  brethren,  that  the  good  things  of  this  world 
are  only  lent  us,  that  we  may  use  them  in  God’s  service,  not  that  we 
may  find  in  them  our  happiness ; some  day  we  shall  have  to  account 
for  the  way  in  which  we  have  employed  them,  and  we  do  not  know 
when  that  day  will  come.  St.  Paul  says:  “The  time  is  short;  it 
remaineth  that  they  that  weep,  be  as  though  they  wept  not;  and 
they  that  rejoice,  as  if  they  rejoiced  not;  and  they  that  buy,  as, 
though  they  possessed  not;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  if  they 
used  it  not;  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away”  (I  Cor. 
vii,  29-31).  Yes,  this  world  with  all  that  it  has  to  offer  will  soon 
pass  away;  the  joys  of  this  life  vanish  like  a dream,  and  even  were 
it  possible  for  a man  to  taste  every  imaginable  pleasure,  he  would 
have  to  acknowledge  at  last  that  “All  is  vanity.”  Goodness  and 
honesty  afford  a happiness  truer  and  more  permanent  than  the 
vain  joys  of  this  world.  This  happiness  alone  can  satisfy  the 
heart’s  desires,  and  it  will  last  even  in  the  next  life;  whereas  he 
who  makes  pleasure  his  aim,  is  the  slave  of  passions  that  will 
ultimately  prove  his  destruction. 

Never  forget  that  you  are  invited  to  share  in  the  marriage  feast 
of  our  Lord  in  heaven,  and  beware  of  clinging  to  the  things  of 
earth.  “What  doth  it  profit  a man,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul?”  (Matth.  xvi,  26).  He  who  de- 
votes himself  to  adorning  and  feeding  his  body,  cares  only  for  the 
mortal  part  of  himself,  the  part  that  sooner  or  later  will  be  laid 
in  the  grave.  Walk  therefore  not  as  slaves  to  your  lusts,  but  as 
free  men;  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because 
the  days  are  evil.  Strive  to  know  and  do  God’s  Will,  and  mortifv 


THE  LOVE  OF  PLEASURE  AND  LUXURY 


59 


the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  '‘for  if  you  live  according  to  the  flesh,  you  shall 
die;  but  if  by  the  Spirit  you  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh,  you 
shall  live.  For  whosoever  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are 
the  sons  of  God,  . . . and  of  sons,  heirs  also ; heirs  indeed  of  God 
and  joint  heirs  with  Christ”  (Rom.  viii,  13-17).  Amen, 


6o 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


VII.  Human  Respect 
Good  Friday  Sermon 

“Pilate  sought  to  release  Him;  but  the  Jews  cried  out  saying: 
‘If  thou  release  this  man,  thou  art  not  Caesar’s  friend.’” — John 
xix,  12. 

The  Church  calls  upon  us  to-day  to  think  with  sorrow  of  our 
Saviour’s  death.  Who  would  not  grieve  over  the  remembrance  of 
the  cruelties  inflicted  on  the  most  innocent  victim  who  ever  lived, 
the  greatest  Benefactor  of  the  human  race?  Jesus  Christ,  the  only- 
begotten  Son  of  the  eternal  Father,  challenged  the  ability  even  of 
His  enemies  to  prove  Him  guilty  of  a single  sin.  In  His  love  of  us. 
He  came  to  deliver  us  from  the  curse  of  sin,  under  which  all  man- 
kind was  groaning;  all  His  works  were  prompted  by  charity,  for  as 
St.  John  says,  He  was  charity;  and  yet  He  was  misunderstood, 
hated,  persecuted  and  ill-treated  by  the  very  people  whom  it  was 
His  desire  to  render  happy ; and  finally  He  died  as  a criminal  on  the 
Cross.  Pilate,  the  Roman  governor,  knew  him  to  be  inocent,  and 
would  gladly  have  released  Him,  but  he  feared  the  Jews,  and  still 
more  the  Roman  Emperor.  The  people,  instigated  by  the  priests, 
Pharisees  and  scribes,  cried  out  repeatedly:  “If  thou  release  this 
man,  thou  art  not  Caesar’s  friend,”  and  this  cry  drowned  the  in- 
ward voice  of  truth  and  justice,  and  finally  the  fear  of  losing  his 
position,  should  the  matter  be  reported  to  the  Emperor,  induced 
him  to  connive  at  the  murder  of  One  Who  was  innocent,  and  he 
delivered  Jesus  to  the  Jews  to  be  crucified. 

We  should  all  without  hesitation  condemn  Pilate  for  acting  in  so 
unjust  and  shameful  a manner;  but,  in  condemning  him,  we  are 
condemning  ourselves.  Is  it  not  a matter  of  every-day  occurrence 
for  us  to  disregard  the  claims  of  innocence,  truth  and  religion,  be- 
cause we  are  afraid  of  putting  ourselves  at  a disadvantage?  Do 
we  not  often  refrain  from  doing  what  we  know  to  be  right,  thus 
becoming  traitors  to  our  own  conscience?  We  are  so  weak  that 
we  turn  a deaf  ear  to  the  voice  of  reason  and  conscience,  through 
fear  of  ridicule.  Yes,  human  respect,  fear  of  the  opinion  of  world- 
lings, is  the  cause  of  many  sins  both  of  omission  and  of  commis- 
sion, and  I do  not  scruple  to  include  this  fear,  and  the  want  of 
courage  and  decision  to  which  it  gives  rise,  among  the  chief  failings 
of  the  age  in  which  we  live.  I want  (i)  to  show  you  to-day  how 
unworthy  of  a Christian  such  fear  is,  and  to  what  disastrous  re- 


HUMAN  RESPECT 


6i 


suits  it  leads;  and  (2)  to  encourage  you  resolutely  to  follow  what 
Christianity  teaches  to  be  the  right  course.  May  He  strengthen  us, 
Who  on  this  day  overcame  the  world,  and  bore  testimony  with  His 
Blood  to  truth  and  justice! 

1.  Although  the  number  of  the  wicked  is  no  doubt  very  great, 
it  is  certainly  exaggerated  by  some  fanatics,  who  consider  them- 
selves, and  those  who  agree  with  them,  to  be  just  and  holy,  and 
God’s  elect,  whilst  they  declare  all  other  people  to  be  hopeless  sin- 
ners and  children  of  the  devil.  Many  behave  outwardly  like  the 
children  of  this  world,  but  are  by  no  means  bad  or  godless  at 
heart;  they  are,  on  the  contrary,  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  faith 
and  virtue ; and  it  is  only  their  fear  of  the  world’s  opinion  that  pre- 
vents them  from  living  in  accordance  of  Christianity.  They  are 
timid  by  nature,  and  have  not  enough  courage  to  withstand  the 
spirit  of  the  age,  though  they  are  ready  to  condemn  it.  They  con- 
form to  the  world,  either  because  they  are  eager  to  win  its  applause, 
or  because  they  dread  its  censure.  They  desire  to  be  the  friends  of 
God,  but  at  the  same  time  wish  to  stand  well  with  the  world.  In 
short,  as  Isaias  says,  they  halt  between  two  opinions.  Even  amongst 
those  who  allow  themselves  apparently  to  be  dominated  by  the 
spirit  of  worldliness,  there  must  be  many  who  accept  the  truth  pro- 
claimed by  Jesus  Christ,  and  desire  the  salvation  that  He  obtained 
for  us  by  His  death  on  the  Cross.  Now  and  then  they  feel  dis- 
satisfied with  themselves  and  the  life  that  they  are  leading,  and 
long  for  peace  and  consolation;  yet  their  dissatisfaction  and  long- 
ing are  not  strong  enough  to  enable  them  to  overcome  their  hu- 
man respect.  They  would  fain,  like  Nicodemus,  come  by  night  to 
their  Lord  and  Master,  if  only  by  day  they  could  conform  to  the 
ways  of  the  world,  or  if  at  least  they  need  not  openly  withstand 
the  spirit  of  worldliness;  if  this  were  possible,  they  would  not 
renounce  Christianity  altogether.  But,  as  they  have  to  choose  be- 
tween Christ  and  the  world,  and  as  they  must  either  appear  ignorant 
and  narrow-minded  in  the  eyes  of  men,  or  slaves  of  sin  in  the 
sight  of  God,  they  prefer  to  incur  the  censure  of  Christ  and  His 
Church,  rather  than  that  of  the  world.  They  maintain  that,  being 
in  the  world,  it  behooves  them  to  adopt  its  spirit,  and  they  think 
it  unwise  to  draw  upon  themselves  the  ridicule  of  those  with  whom 
they  have  hitherto  been  on  good  terms.  Many  a man  through 
mere  thoughtlessness,  has  joined  the  ranks  of  the  socialists,  who, 
having  given  up  all  religion,  have  adopted  most  dangerous  prin-' 


62 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


ciples.  He  sees  perhaps  that,  in  associating  with  such  people,  he 
risks  incurring  grave  injury  both  in  body  and  soul,  but  he  cannot 
get  rid  of  them,  because  he  dreads  their  ridicule  and  hostility. 
Sometimes  in  society  all  that  we  hold  sacred  is  discussed  in  a con- 
temptuous and  blasphemous  manner;  the  conscience  of  some  of 
those  present  may  urge  them  to  speak  in  defence  of  God’s  honor 
and  of  religion,  but  false  shame  constrains  them  to  keep  silence,  or 
even  to  acquiesce  in  what  is  said.  Sometimes  slanderous  tongues 
assail  our  neighbor’s  honor  and  good  reputation,  but  we  dare  not 
come  forward  to  bear  witness  to  truth,  and  to  rebuke  the  calumnia- 
tors, because  we  fear  to  give  offence  or  to  draw  their  ridicule  upon 
ourselves.  Others  again,  through  human  respect,  refrain  from 
acknowledging  themselves  to  be  Catholics,  and  from  practising  their 
religion.  Others  are  too  timid  to  resist  the  disastrous  tendencies 
of  the  age,  to  renounce  what  is  forbidden,  to  correct  faults,  and 
to  insist  upon  the  discharge  of  duties.  They  say  that  they  do  not 
like  to  hurt  other  people’s  feelings,  or  to  be  on  bad  terms  with  their 
neighbors.  There  are  therefore  a great  many  sins  of  omission 
due  to  human  respect  and  fear  of  the  world’s  opinion,  but  the  num- 
ber of  the  actual  sins  committed  for  the  same  reason  is  far  greater. 
For  fears  of  the  Jews  Pilate  handed  our  Divine  Lord  over  to  the 
rabble  to  be  crucified;  through  human  respect  Peter  denied  his 
Master,  and  the  same  motive  has  induced  hundreds,  at  times  of 
persecution,  to  be  false  to  Christ.  The  same  dread  of  criticism 
impels  many  at  the  present  day  to  join  in  mocking  at  religion, 
and  in  blaspheming  what  they  have  hitherto  held  sacred.  Like  the 
Jews  of  old  they  take  up  stones,  as  it  were,  to  cast  at  Christ  and 
at  those  who  acknowledge  Him  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Re- 
deemer of  the  world,  and  who  cling  to  Him  as  their  only  Saviour. 
Lest  they  should  cease  to  be  regarded  as  enlightened  and  broad- 
minded, many  adopt  views  that  must  inevitably  lead  to  destruction, 
and  promote  undertakings  which  aim  at  the  ruin  of  society.  They 
subscribe  toward  the  support  of  newspapers  and  periodicals  that 
are  sowing  seeds  of  unbelief  and  immorality  broadcast  amongst  the 
people,  and  are  poisoning  the  minds  of  both  young  and  old.  Fear 
of  being  thought  bigoted  and  narrow-minded  forces  many  to  imi- 
tate the  behavior  of  the  children  of  this  world,  to  join  in  their 
profane  and  immoral  conversations  and  songs,  and  to  calumniate 
their  neighbors.  Not  a few  sacrifice  their  innocence  and  virtue 
rather  than  forego  any  temporal  advantage. 


HUMAN  RESPECT 


63 


Such  dependence  upon  public  opinion  and  such  cringing  to  the 
spirit  of  the  age  are  utterly  unworthy  of  Christians.  What  would 
have  become  of  the  Church  if  the  Apostles,  when  brought  before 
rulers  and  counils,  had  kept  silence  or  had  denied  Christ  through 
fear  of  punishment?  They  did  not  fear  men  rather  than  God;  no, 
they  boldly  asked  their  judges  to  decide  whether  it  would  be  right 
for  them  to  do  so.  They  departed  from  the  judgment  hall  rejoicing 
if  they  were  accounted  worthy  to  suffer  for  the  Name  of  Jesus. 
When  a soldier  runs  away,  fearing  to  be  wounded  or  killed,  we 
call  him  a coward.  Is  not  every  man  a coward  who,  for  fear  of 
others,  refrains  from  bearing  witness  to  the  truth,  from  doing  his 
duty  and  from  standing  up  for  right  and  justice?  Yes,  he  is  a 
coward,  and,  what  is  worse,  he  is  a slave  to  other  men.  Slavery 
is  the  most  degraded  and  contemptible  state  in  which  a man  can 
be,  because  he  belongs  to  his  owner,  not  to  himself,  and  has  to  act 
in  accordance  with  his  master's  will.  Is  not  a man  really  a slave 
who  conforms  in  all  respects  to  the  opinion  of  the  world?  He  is  no 
longer  at  liberty  to  control  his  own  actions,  but  he  must  yield  to  the 
whims  of  others.  He  cannot  take  any  step  without  first  consider- 
ing what  others  will  think  of  him;  he  dares  not  rebuke  a knave 
who  mocks  at  what  is  sacred  and  drags  virtue  through  the  mire; 
no,  he  is  silent,  when  it  behooves  him  to  speak  out  boldly.  He 
adapts  himself  to  the  tastes  and  habits  of  the  majority,  and  is  their 
slave,  when  he  might  and  should  be  free.  And  who  are  as  a rule 
the  people  whose  criticism,  disapproval,  ridicule  and  ill-will  he 
dreads  so  intensely  as  to  sacrifice  to  them  his  own  convictions  and 
independence?  They  are  mostly  wicked,  shameless,  dissolute  and 
immoral ; they  have  no  faith,  no  fear  of  God,  no  love  of  virtue;  they 
are,  in  short,  sinners,  under  the  control  of  the  devil,  in  whose  service 
they  are  luring  souls  to  perdition.  These  are  the  people  whom  we 
are  afraid  to  offend;  we  act  in  accordance  with  their  opinions  be- 
cause we  fear  their  ridicule,  threats  and  hostility;  we  sacrifice  to 
them  our  liberty,  honor  and  future  happiness.  Is  this  not  the  most 
shameful  and  dishonorable  degradation  for  Christians  who  at  their 
baptism  became  children  of  God,  and  who  ought  to  fear  nothing 
except  offending  their  heavenly  Father? 

You  see,  my  brethren,  how  disastrous  and  disgraceful  a thing  it  is 
for  a Christian  to  fear  the  judgment  of  the  world  and  to  be  a slave 
to  its  spirit.  We  ought  to  be  guided,  not  by  the  world,  but  by  our 
own  conscience  and  the  teaching  of  our  holy  religion,  and  tread 


64 


THE  CHIEP  EriLS  Of  THE  TIMES 


the  path  assigned  to  us  with  decision,  courage  and  perseverance. 

11.  History  records  a touching  event  in  the  life  of  the  Frank- 
ish king,  Clodwig.  One  day  St.  Remigius  was  telling  him  the  story 
of  our  Saviour’s  Passion,  and  the  king,  deeply  moved,  exclaimed: 
“Had  I been  present  with  my  warriors,  He  would  never  have  been 
crucified.”  If  we  think  of  our  Lord’s  sufferings  and  of  His  shame- 
ful death  on  the  Cross,  and  if  we  reflect  that  He  underwent  so  much 
in  spite  of  His  perfect  innocence,  we  shall  feel  inclined  to  agree 
with  the  Frankish  king.  Yet  every  day  Christ  is  crucified  anew; 
He  is  crucified  whenever  the  truth  is  persecuted  and  suppressed, 
and  His  holy  law  is  despised  and  violated.  Few  are  brave  enough 
to  defend  His  honor  and  to  stand  up  for  His  cause,  and  we  may 
actually  doubt  whether  Christ,  if  He  came  again,  would  fare  better 
now  than  He  did  1900  years  ago.  There  is  urgent  need  at  the  pres- 
ent time  for  decision  in  thought,  word  and  action,  since  the  spirit 
of  worldliness  stalks  abroad  boldly,  striving  to  subjugate  the  minds 
of  all;  and  a conflict  is  raging  between  this  siprit  and  the  Spirit 
of  God,  a conflict  upon  the  issue  of  which  depend  both  the  temporal 
and  external  welfare  of  the  individual,  as  well  as  of  the  whole  hu- 
man race.  Each  man  has  to  decide  whether  he  will  take  up  his  stand 
on  the  side  of  God  or  of  the  world;  whether  he  will  be  numbered 
among  the  followers  of  Christ  or  of  Belial,  among  the  children  of 
light  or  of  darkness.  Lukewarmness  and  irresolution  are  always 
bad,  but  they  are  unpardonable  where  our  highest  interests  are 
at  stake.  He  is  a traitor  to  the  cause  of  right  and  justice  who  does 
not  come  forward  to  defend  what  is  good  and  holy,  who  is  ashamed 
of  his  religion,  who  takes  innumerable  things  into  consideration, 
weighing  all  possible  arguments  for  and  against,  before  he  ventures 
seriously  to  resist  evil  and  to  uphold  truth,  justice  and  morality. 
In  order  to  see  how  fully  the  children  of  this  world  realize  the  need 
of  courage  and  resolution  in  their  undertakings,  you  have  but  to 
look  at  the  methods  employed  by  the  socialists.  They  never  hesi- 
tate, they  know  well  enough  what  they  want  and  what  they  are 
doing.  Their  designs  are  aimed  at  getting  money,  at  enjoying 
luxury,  at  self-indulgence,  at  freedom  from  all  restraints  upon 
their  passions  and  desires.  They  pursue  their  aims  by  means  of 
persuasion  and  threats,  by  flattery,  deception  and  ridicule ; they 
display  so  much  energy  and  perseverance  in  the  dissemination  of 
their  doctrines,  that  one  would  suppose  them  to  be  intent  upon 
founding  an  earthly  paradise.  If  we  fold  our  hands  and  do  nothing. 


HUMAN  RESPECT 


65 


being  afraid  to  stand  up  for  the  right,  whilst  the  children  of  this 
world  toil  indefatigably  on  the  side  of  evil,  must  not  the  kingdom 
of  God  necessarily  dwindle  away?  We  ought  to  defend  it;  we 
ought  fearlessly  to  draw  attention  to  the  bad  intentions  and  designs 
of  the  wicked  and  Godless  men  in  our  midst,  and  to  exert  ourselves 
to  frustrate  them.  We  ought  to  employ  all  available  means  of 
bringing  others  back  to  a reasonable  frame  of  mind,  and  of  supply- 
ing antidotes  to  the  poison  that  we  encounter  on  every  side.  No 
one  who  is  in  earnest  about  his  religion,  who  Icves  God  and  jus- 
tice ; morality  and  order,  and  who  desires  the  happiness  and  pros- 
perity of  his  country,  ought  to  stand  aloof,  shunning  labor  and 
exertion,  ridicule  and  contempt.  The  children  of  this  world  toil 
day  and  night  in  order  to  attain  their  earthly  goal;  they  endure 
hunger  and  thirst,  heat  and  cold,  poverty  and  danger.  If  they 
do  and  bear  so  much  for  the  sake  of  treasures,  that  rust  and  moth 
can  consume,  and  for  enjoyments  that  vanish  like  smoke,  leaving 
only  a bitter  savor  behind  them,  how  can  we  drink  from  hard- 
ships, when  it  is  in  our  power  to  secure  far  higher  and  more  per- 
manent advantages,  to  promote  the  welfare  of  God's  kingdom 
and  the  salvation  of  immortal  souls  ? It  may  be  very  hard  to  resist 
the  world,  it  may  cost  us  a great  deal  to  avoid  the  bad  companions 
with  whom  we  have  hitherto  associated  and  to  break  off  connec- 
tions of  long  standing;  it  may  need  much  self-denial  to  renounce 
the  forbidden  amusements  and  luxuries  in  which  we  have  indulged, 
and  to  sacrifice  our  reputation  as  broadminded  and  enlightened 
people;  it  may  be  very  difficult  to  abandon  the  easy  path  of  de- 
struction, and  to  follow  the  steep  and  narrow  way  of  virtue  with 
stout  and  resolute  hearts,  but  still  we  must  not  shrink  from  all  these 
things,  unless  we  are  willing  to  be  put  to  shame  by  the  children 
of  this  world,  to  deny  our  faith,  and  to  lose  all  prospect  of  salva- 
tion. If  Jesus  Christ,  our  Redeemer,  had  feared  hardships,  suffer- 
ing and  persecution,  if  He  had  shrunk  from  death,  we  should  be 
still  in  our  sins,  with  the  curse  of  God  resting  on  us.  If  the 
Apostles  and  their  successors  had  consulted  their  own  comfort,  or 
had  taken  into  account  all  the  hindrances,  perils,  hostility  that 
they  encountered  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  Christianity  would  have 
died  out,  and  we  should  never  have  partaken  in  its  blessings.  But 
our  Lord  knew  all  this,  and  yet  He  said:  “He  that  loveth  father 
or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me;  and  he  that  loveth 
son  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me;  and  he  that 


66 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


taketh  not  up  his  cross  and  followeth  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me” 
(Matth.  X,  37). 

We  must  not  avoid  hardships  and  exertion,  when  we  have  an 
opportunity  to  promote  the  honor  of  God  and  His  Church,  and  to 
secure  the  salvation  of  our  souls;  the  world  ought  to  have  no  in- 
fluences over  us.  In  this  respect  Christ  has  set  us  an  example  that 
it  behooves  us  to  follow.  When  He  was  asked : ^‘Is  it  lawful  to  pay 
tribute  to  Caesar?”  He  did  not  consider  the  danger  to  which  a 
straightforward  answer  would  expose  Him,  but  said  simply : “Ren- 
der to  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar’s”  (Matt,  xxi,  17,  21). 
He  treated  sinners  with  kindness,  sitting  with  them  at  table,  and  car- 
ing nothing  for  the  remarks  made  by  he  Pharisees,  whom  He  openly 
upbraided  as  hypocrites,  a generation  of  vipers  and  whited  se- 
pulchres, fair  to  behold  from  outside,  but  inwardly  full  of  cor- 
ruption. When  men  threatened  to  stone  Him  or  to  throw  Him 
down  a precipice.  He  remained  calm,  for  He  would  far  rather  have 
died  than  have  denied  the  truth  or  departed  from  the  right  way. 
It  is  our  duty,  too,  never  to  surrender  truth  and  justice;  we  may  be 
despised  as  ignorant  bigots;  worldly  people  may  regard  us  with 
hatred  and  scorn,  instead  of  esteeming  and  applauding  us;  but 
truth,  a good  conscience  and  assurance  of  God’s  approval  ought  to 
be  far  more  precious  in  our  sight  than  anything  that  the  world  can 
offer.  “To  me  it  is  a very  small  thing  to  be  judged  by  you,  or  by 
man’s  day,”  said  St.  Paul,  “He  that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord” 
(i  Cor.  iv,  3).  The  Apostle  did  not  look  upon  men  as  his  judges, 
nor  did  he  trouble  about  their  opinion.  It  was  to  -him  a matter  of 
indifference  whether  he  were  praised  or  condemned  by  them,  he 
cared  nothing  for  their  criticism,  for  he  recognized  one  Master 
only.  Who  would  be  his  Judge.  If  that  Master  were  satisfied, 
St.  Paul  was  happy;  if  He  found  fault,  the  applause  of  men  could 
never  reassure  him.  The  Apostle’s  words  reveal  that  true  courage 
which  inspires  all  who  have  a good  conscience,  and  enjoy  that  peace 
of  mind  which  is  proof  against  all  attacks.  St.  Augustine  used  to 
say : “Think  what  you  like  of  me ; if  only  I can  please  my  God,  I 
am  content.” 

Let  us  therefore  do  our  best  to  gain  the  recognition  and  respect 
of  the  world  by  leading  an  upright,  honest  and  Christian  life;  but, 
if  the  world  nevertheless  withholds  its  approval,  God  and  our  own 
conscience  will  still  bear  testimony  on  our  behalf,  and  this  is  worth 
far  more  than  the  favor  and  applause  of  people  estranged  from 


HUMAN  RESPECT 


67 


Him,  for  it  gives  us  sure  hope  of  an  eternal  reward  in  His  kingdom. 
Let  us  remember  that  our  Saviour  said : “Blessed  are  ye  when  men 
shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  speak  all  that  is  evil  against 
you,  untruly,  for  my  sake.  Be  glad  and  rejoice,  for  your  reward  is 
very  great  in  heaven”  (Matt,  v,  ii,  12). 

Let  us  have  the  courage  of  our  own  opinions,  and  profess  our 
faith  boldly  and  without  wavering;  let  us  not  be  influenced  and 
misled  by  the  children  of  this  world,  for  neither  their  favor  nor 
their  ridicule  can  really  aifect  us.  “What  doth  it  profit  a man,  if 
he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul?” 
(Matt,  xvi,  26).  What  good  can  it  do  us,  if  we  are  extolled  as 
liberal,  cultured  and  broadminded?  This  will  not  make  us  happy, 
if  we  win  praise  at  the  cost  of  our  own  souls.  One  thing  only  is 
needful — to  fear  God,  and  to  work  out  our  salvation;  this  brings 
peace  and  happiness  here  below,  and  everlasting  life  in  heaven. 
Therefore  fear  not  those  who  can  kill  the  body,  but  are  unable  to 
injure  the  soul;  fear  rather  him  who  has  power  to  cast  both  body 
and  soul  into  hell.  Bear  testimony  boldly  to  the  truth  and  follow 
the  path  of  justice.  The  truth,  that  we  profess,  has  no  need  to 
shroud  itself  in  darkness,  nor  need  virtue  fear  to  assert  itself  in 
defiance  of  sin.  At  baptism  we  renounced  the  world,  the  flesh 
and  the  devil,  and  the  cross  was  traced  upon  our  brows,  that  we 
might  never  be  ashamed  openly  to  proclaim  ourselves  the  followers 
of  a crucified  Saviour.  If  we  always  remembered  Him,  who  shed 
His  Blood  and  died  on  the  Cross  for  us  almost  1900  years  ago, 
that  He  might  redeem  us,  and  that  we,  being  dead  to  sin,  might 
live  unto  righteousness,  we  should  esteem  it  our  highest  honor  and 
glory  to  confess  our  faith  frankly  and  fearlessly,  in  thought,  word 
and  deed,  and  we  should  look  for  happiness  and  salvation  in  the 
place  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  “Every  one 
that  shall  confess  me  before  men,”  says  our  Saviour,  “I  will  also 
confess  him  before  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven”  (Matth.  x,  32). 
But  “he  that  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words,  of  him  shall 
the  Son  of  Man  be  ashamed,  when  He  shall  come  in  His  majesty 
and  that  of  His  Father”  (Luke  ix,  26).  We  have  therefore  to 
choose  between  salvation  and  condemnation.  If  we  decide  to  stand 
up  for  Christ  against  sin  and  the  world,  we  shall  be  saved;  if  we 
prefer  the  world  and  its  advantages  to  Christ,  we  shall  be  lost 
eternally.  How  can  we  hesitate  for  a single  moment?  Let  us 
determine  to  adhere  to  Christ,  who  alone  can  save  us ; let  us  resolve 


68 


THE  CHIEF  EVILS  OF  THE  TIMES 


to  confess  Him  and  follow  His  example,  no  matter  what  the  world 
may  think.  Then  we  shall  each  say,  as  St.  Paul  did:  “I  am  sure 
that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  might,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature  shall  be  able  to  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord” 
(Rom.  viii,  38,  39).  Let  us  regard  our  earthly  life  as  a serious, 
not  a frivolous  thing,  and  employ  it  conscientiously,  remembering 
the  ApHDStle's  exhortation  to  “redeem  the  time,  because  the  days  are 
evil”  (Ephes.  v,  16).  Let  us  work  whilst  it  is  yet  day,  for  the 
night  cometh,  when  no  man  can  work.  Let  us  not  be  led  astray 
by  those  who  have  lost  faith  in  God,  but  let  us  cling  to  the  faith' 
of  our  forefathers,  which  is  the  power  of  God  to  save  all  who  pro- 
fess it,  and  refuse  to  have  fellowship  with  the  children  of  unbelief, 
whose  ways  are  evil  and  whose  end  is  destruction.  Let  us  be  sub- 
ject to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  God’s  sake,  and  let  us  follow  our 
Saviour’s  example,  for  He  was  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
of  the  cross.  Let  us  resolve  not  to  aim  at  the  worthless  honors  of 
this  world,  nor  at  its  esteem,  but  let  us  seek  imperishable  honor 
in  God’s  presence,  by  the  faithful  discharge  of  all  the  obligations 
of  our  calling  and  position.  Let  us  resolve  no  longer  to  make  the 
pleasures  and  luxuries  of  the  world  our  aim  in  life,  nor  to  seek  in 
them  our  happiness,  but  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His 
justice,  being  convinced  that  then  all  other  things  necessary  for 
us  will  be  provided.  Let  us  fear  neither  the  world  nor  the  devil, 
not  quail  before  the  criticism,  ridicule  and  persecution  of  wicked 
men,  but  ever  keep  our  eyes  fixed  on  Him  Who  is  the  author  and 
finisher  of  our  faith,  and  Who  has  set  us  an  example  that  we  ought 
to  follow.  Let  us  act  as  trusty  servants,  who  fear  nothing  except 
to  oflFend  and  displease  God.  He  will  help,  support  and  sustain  us 
by  His  grace,  for  the  sake  of  our  dear  Lord,  Who  died  for  us,  that 
we  might  have  life  in  His  Name. 

O crucified  Redeemer!  By  Thy  Passion  and  Death  Thou  hast 
redeemed  the  world,  and  given  us  power  to  become  God’s  children 
and  heirs  of  His  kingdom.  Grant  to  us  all  true  zeal  and  a right 
disposition,  that  we  may  live  to  Thee  alone,  and  may  follow  Thee 
faithfully  in  this  world,  so  that  at  last,  on  the  great  day  of  reck- 
oning, we  may  be  worthy  to  be  numbered  among  Thine  elect,  and  to 
be  admitted  to  Thine  everlasting  kingdom.  Amen. 


